Toronto-based Mad Butterfly Collective presents Thank U, Ex, a coming-of-age story about a young girl’s journey through her love life, at Halifax’s Bus Stop Theatre later this month.
Examining heartbreak, loss and love with a ’90s vibe, Thank U, Ex follows Violet as she “examines her past relationships, kicks her exes to the curb and finds her way to self-discovery.”
In this Q&A with co-writer Kelly Taylor, we find out more.
This interview has been edited.
Take us beyond the press release and tell us about Thank U, Ex. What can audiences expect?
A damn good time with jokes and a story that’s so relatable it hurts. Think of it like an inside look into a teen girl’s diary without the headache of getting caught.
What was the inspiration for the show?
A few years ago, I was doing a bit of stand-up comedy. The material I was doing was poking fun at dating life and particularly my failed relationships. I noticed the jokes were resonating with people in the audience, so I had an idea to put the jokes into a story. I took it to my co-writer Melly Magrath to see if we could incorporate that into a script, and as soon as we started writing, we realized that my personal experience made it the perfect story.
Why this particular show now?
I wrote the show in the lockdown of 2020, and as soon as I wrote it, I knew it was something special. I never lost hope of being able to put this on in front of a live audience, and after two years of being away from the stage, there is no better time.
What do you hope audiences leave the theatre talking about?
I hope the audience talks about how funny it was, but I also like to turn some questions to the audience, What’s your favourite chapter in the show? Which one makes you need to call your therapist the most? Which one are you least likely to watch with your parents for Sunday family dinner? Tell me everything.
Why should someone come to see Thank U, Ex?
This is the Renaissance of theatre. We’ve all been missing live entertainment for two years, so there’s no better time. Thank U, Ex isn’t this your traditional theatre play as it also incorporates film. Come see it because you enjoy theatre. Come see it because you love the 90s and Y2K nostalgia. Or see it because your crazy ex told you the show would speak to you. Or just come out because our lovely team has travelled from Toronto to this beautiful city so that you could see our show.
Thank U, Ex plays the Bus Stop Theatre (2203 Gottingen St, Halifax) on August 26 & 27. Visit eventbrite.ca for tickets and information.