Feature in the Toronto Star
They met in Ukraine, fell in love and turned their tale into a play. But their romance is no fairy tale
“First Métis Man of Odesa,” by Matthew MacKenzie and Mariya Khomutova, tells the story of their relationship, amid the backdrop of the pandemic and war in Ukraine.
Matthew MacKenzie and Mariya Khomutova co-wrote and star in “First Métis Man of Odesa,” their award-winning play about the real life story of their relationship and marriage, set against the backdrop of the pandemic and war in Ukraine.
Source: The Toronto Star
Author of the Article: Filipa Pajevic Special to the Star
On a rainy April afternoon, Mariya Khomutova and Matthew MacKenzie were huddled in a small café in Cabbagetown, waiting for the storm to pass.
Despite the downpour, their spirits remained high: Khomutova exudes warmth and kindness, while MacKenzie’s calm demeanour reflects the gentle, introverted charm that first attracted her when they met in Kyiv in 2018.
He’s an award-winning Indigenous-Canadian playwright and she’s a prolific Ukrainian theatre actor. When they met, they were workshopping a play together, unaware of the bond that was forming — and the challenges they would soon face to keep it intact.
