‘That’s Life’, an original English musical by singer-songwriters and actors Mariia and Ash Chandler, will premiere in Mapusa on April 18 with 13 songs inspired by their personal experiences
RAMANDEEP KAUR
Some ideas begin as private exchanges and slowly find their way to a stage. For Mariia and Ash Chandler, it began during the pandemic with songs they wrote for each other while apart. Those exchanges have now developed into ‘That’s Life’, a full-length musical, to be staged on April 18, 7 p.m. at The Ark, Building Community, Mapusa.
The musical looks at love, identity and uncertainty, with humour running through the narrative.
Ash, originally from Atlanta, Georgia, recalls travelling to Ukraine for his wife Mariia’s birthday, where he wrote her a song in seven languages, while she wrote one for him. At the time, it was simply a gesture. “But it felt like there was something more in it,” says Ash.
The story was written in 2022, followed by the script, music production and recording in 2023. The writing process did not follow a fixed structure. While the script came first, two songs written during their time apart had to be fitted into the narrative later. For the rest of the material, writing and composing happened together. “We’d be working on a scene and a melody would come up or a line would change things completely,” says Ash.
‘That’s Life’ is about two characters, Louis and Margaret, played by the duo. Louis is a financial strategist who works through patterns and logic, while Margaret is a quiet observer at a vintage cinema ticket counter. While fictional, parts of the story are based on their own experiences. Chandler says his role also draws from his hesitation about relationships after a previous marriage.
The production also includes four performers (played by Akash Shirodkar, Raquel Fernandes, Akash Kustagi and Prakriti) who represent ‘life’. They remain faceless and do not speak but use movement to guide the action around the lead characters. The choreography is by Sonia David and the production is directed by Keith Antony Sequeira.
Musically, ‘That’s Life’ is set in jazz and band style. Of the 13 songs, 11 are full-length arrangements, while two are shorter pieces that appear within the narrative. Some songs carry the story forward, while others stand independently, including one built around how words like “always” and “never” tend to trigger arguments.
The production is set in a stylised world that mixes 1930s and 1940s-inspired design with modern details like smartphones and digital currency.
The score was arranged by musician Aviv Pereira. The material was later shared with theatre professionals in New York and Mumbai, who advised the team to stage it before taking it further. Being based in Goa, Ash says, they chose to stage the production here. “It is where we met and where many of our collaborators are from. In a way, the play is a love letter to Goa, with most of the people working on it either from the state or connected to it.”
Since the protagonists in the musical are orphans, the team has partnered with El Shaddai, a local organisation working with underprivileged children. In fact, when the Chandlers approached its founder, Pastor Matthew Kurian for a benefit performance, they learned that the organisation had recently built a new theatre space, which Ash describes as “gorgeous”.
Ash points out that Goa has a different context for live performances. Unlike larger cities, where attending a show often involves planning around traffic and schedules, audiences here are already in a more relaxed setting. He feels this makes it easier for people to include theatre in their leisure plans. The team will assess audience response before announcing further shows.
About the creators
Ash is an actor on stage and in films such as ‘Guzaarish’ and ‘ Love Wrinkle Free’ and a singer-songwriter who performs across multiple languages and genres. He is also a playwright and among the pioneers of English-language stand-up comedy in India, having begun as early as 1998. Mariia, originally from Kyiv, Ukraine, is trained in theatre, music and dance. A recording artiste and DJ, she is also a long-time yoga practitioner.
