With Paris in the background, an older American man and a young Parisian woman try to find the meaning of true love amid wine, music, and a few bubbles. And don’t forget the waiter, a sort of bohemian dreamcatcher philosophizing about life and love, cigarette in hand.
Yaya (Nicolet Anton) is sitting in a cafe when Andrew (David E. Frank) shows up. They spend the following minutes talking about why they should not fall in love with each other. Age gap, different expectations, etc. But Cupid doesn’t understand any of that, especially in Paris. Soon after her performance in a cabaret, Yaya and Andrew spend the night together. Was it a mistake, a fling, or finally that main, true love they’ve been looking for? It seems that French lemonade can cast a spell on you despite a conscious resistance. Both characters talk about their past, their failed relationships, and the kind of life they can expect if they were to live together.
The dialogue is primarily a discourse about romance vs reality in the realm of love. What does it take to find true love, and what do you do once you find it? Limonade is a poetic reflection on that search and the adventure that is to step out into the unknown. What goes through the mind of a man who is in the twilight of his life? What are the expectations of a woman at the beginning of her adult life? What happens when those two life stages meet?
For this play, Charles L. Mee uses a story that despite its simplicity, has a profound meaning, as it covers the three main experiences in life: Birth, love, and death. It is the poetry and the simplicity that make this story stand out. With the vivacity of Yaya, the willingness of Andrew to explore second chances, and the flamboyance of the Waiter/Dancer/Madame Josephine (a versatile Cruz St. James), the characters express the beauty of the human experience, missteps and all. One interesting detail is Mee’s use of the dialogue to voice his opinion on the American image from the perspective of people from other countries, in this case, the French. But the text is also an expression of the willingness of Americans to open up their minds to experience and learn from other perspectives. At the end, Andrew is transformed and moved by the deep connection with Yaya, a relationship that allowed him to learn more about women and about himself.
The direction by Frédérique Michel translates the text into a sensual display of music and movement. The blocking makes great use of the space, placing the actors and set props around the stage to create three-dimensionality to the scenes. The only thing that downgrades the set is the static digital projection, a device used in many productions nowadays. Most of the productions could get rid of it and still create the visual impact necessary to tell the story. Just a personal opinion. The costumes add a French flair to the scenes; they’re classic and vanguardist. As for the musical numbers, the three actors show their fine vocal aptitudes. Their range and texture add emotional expression to the French songs and enhance the sexiness of the story, just listen to the suggestive “Les Sucettes”.
If you’re up to some romance and exquisite French connection, this is your play. It’s lyrical and thoughtful, a breadth of fresh air in a world of chaos.
LIMONADE TOUS LES JOURS: A PARIS LOVE STORY
Bergamot Station Arts Center
2525 Michigan Ave. T1
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Link: citygarage.org
Performances: May 22th Jun 28, 2026. Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM. Sundays at 4 PM.
Written by Charles L. Mee. Directed by Frédérique Michel. Produced by Charles A. Duncombe.
Cast: Nicolet Anton, David E. Frank, Cruz St. James.
Creative team: Set, Lighting, Audio design: Charles A. Duncombe. Costume Design: Josephine Poinsot. Video/Projections: Anthony Sannazzaro. Assistant Director: Ralph Radebaugh. Photos, Graphics: Paul Rubenstein.
