From Sept. 8 to 27, Theatre Calgary will be putting on a production of First Métis Man of Odesa at the Martha Cohen Theatre. Created by playwright Matthew MacKenzie and actress Mariya “Masha” Khomutova, the award-winning Canadian show tells a story about love, war and hope.
First meeting in a play workshop in Kyiv and navigating a long-distance relationship during the pandemic, the one word that can be used to describe the love story between Khomutova and MacKenzie is unorthodox. With the added development of parenthood and the invasion of Khomutova’s native Ukraine in 2022, the pair became interested in translating their personal experiences and memories into a performance on the stage to document the evolution of their relationship.
“We did these sort of normal things that everyone does or a lot of people do with the backdrop of the pandemic and the war,” said MacKenzie. “That's what led us to think that this is a story we felt we wanted to share.”
The show first premiered in 2023, and since then the pair have been performing and sharing their story all across the country, with the production receiving multiple Dora Mavor Moore Awards in 2024. Though a unique aspect of immersion, Khomutova and MacKenzie both admit that portraying themselves on the stage has come with its challenges. Mackenzie is not a trained performer and describes his limited acting experience as a feature of the show that draws viewers in.
“Part of the shtick of the show is that there's me, who's not a performer and who's sort of a fish out of water opposite Masha, who's such an amazing actor,” said MacKenzie, “Some people don't believe me and then [audience members] see me flub a line or trip on myself or something and I can hear them whisper, He's really not an actor.”
Khomutova, who is a seasoned performer, said that she initially struggled playing herself in initial productions due to the novelty of such a role and how recently the events of the show had taken place.
“I've never played myself on stage. And it's an absolutely new technique for me to relate to myself as a character,” said Khomutova, “In 2023, it was so fresh, and we had just lived through that while playing; there was no distance. Now in 2026, I can look at myself in 2022 and say, ‘Oh, that Masha is a character, and I can play her as a character.’”
To develop the show into its current iteration, Khomutova and MacKenzie worked together to create a script that condensed many of the major moments of their relationship into an hour-and-a-half performance. The pair describe how this process relied on including memories and events that translated well to the stage, which aided in significantly cutting down the initial 100-page draft of the play.
“We tried to find the story points that worked most for the medium,” said Khomutova. The rehearsal process dictated what should be left and what should be cut.”
Though the couple are the only actors on the stage, Ukraine is almost a third character within the show. The show depicts how the pair initially met and fell in love while in the country alongside their reactions to the destruction and pain caused by the beginning of the devastating war. In the second half of their production, the pair portray how the recent developments in Ukraine have impacted their lives and the lives of other Ukrainians.
“I think that what drove us originally to write the story and what is driving us to continue to perform it is to keep Ukraine in people's hearts and minds,” said MacKenzie.
Both describe the act of writing their story and presenting it onstage as deeply significant for both of them, and made even more so by the positive reception they have received from this production. One thing they hope that students and young creatives can take away after attending their performance is the importance of believing in the value of your personal story.
“I would encourage you people by saying that your life story is precious and that you can make a good play out of your own experience,” said Khomutova, “Our own stories are more important than ever, and we need to focus on our own stories to really investigate and celebrate who we are.”
Theatre Calgary’s production of First Métis Man of Odesa is a tale that highlights how love can flourish and persist under even the most unconventional circumstances. Khomutova and MacKenzie's story promises to be one that individuals from all walks of life can relate to and be inspired by.
