This is Step One: a gritty but hopeful take on reconciling with one’s past.

 Every journey towards healing has to start with coming to terms with the past: this is the central theme of Jess McAuley’s one-woman autobiographical work This is Step One, directed by Kathy Yan Li. As a theatre piece, it is very successful at getting this point across not merely through telling but also showing; McAuley provides concrete examples from her past to illustrate the troubled times she experienced (including an abusive relationship and sexual harassment) and how they have shaped her determination to get back on the right path.

Starting from the day of May 17, 2017, when she’s loading photos onto her new phone from an old one, McAuley is instantly confronted with her past when she sees photos from her time in university (which she describes as the “messiest period of her life”). Instead of simply ignoring them, she decides to try something different: to reflect on and own up to the mistakes she made in the past so that she can truly move on from them. The ensuing journey she takes is as genuinely enthralling as it is inspiring.

As a performer, McAuley is very authentic and expressive; she is able to relay her story with credibly felt emotion and enthusiasm. It is this combination which ensures that the show is consistently engaging throughout its full 60 minutes. The show’s technical elements also do much to enhance the story, with both atmospheric lighting (such as dreamy purple lighting for her high school prom) and personal photos and videos displayed on a projection screen to give a more precise look at past events. The small size of the audience the particular night I went (there being only 4 other spectators) allowed McAuley to further tailor the show to be a more intimate experience with audience interaction.

Overall, the most important element of the show is its hopeful message that a chance to begin anew is still possible no matter what one has done or experienced. Indeed, it is this kind of message which should be relayed more often in theatre and art in general.

This is Step One continues at La Nouvelle Scene, Studio A for the Ottawa Fringe Festival until June 24. For show times and tickets, see http://ottawafringe.com/shows/this-is-step-one/