All My Love, Kate
By Joe Breen
The 2018 Fresh Fruit Festival
The Wild Project
195 East 3rd Street

Review by Justin Cheang

All My Love, Kate: a powerful and remarkable performance displaying a tale of forbidden love during World War II. A homosexual couple must hide their love life as it was shunned by the public. As one of the lovers, Jack, must head off to war to fight for his country we follow the characters as this story unfolds. This production shows the difficult times of the mid 20th century had to offer; whether it be your sexual preference, or the suffering Americans had to endure during the war, the story of characters Jack and Danny played by Brendan Cataldo and Matt W. Cody were ones to remember.

Matt W. Cody’s phenomenal acting had sealed the deal with his portrayal of Danny, the loving and expressive one in the relationship. His character has been brought to life with his sassy approach, his genuine concern for his lover Jack, and his impeccable acting. Though All My Love, Kate was a love story, with Matt’s portrayal of Danny, a romance play can quickly become an incredible comedy within seconds.

Though the show had its moments of its genuine romance from Danny and Jack, to its conflicts between Jack and Tom, not everything is perfect. Though all performers were outstanding in their own way, the portrayal of Tom’s character was very, interesting. From his close relationship with Jack to an almost immediate resentment, followed by a resounding apology and last words, Tom was a character that quite rushed, and wasn’t fully capable to display his emotions for the situations present in the play. Whether it be the loss of his loved ones, or the genuine anger he felt while he was stuck as a prisoner of war, Tom as a character, was quite rushed.

Overall, this performance encapsulated the societal struggle of having a different or even taboo sexual preference of the past, all the while displaying a beautiful and tragic love story during the raging flames that was World War II.