Niles West’s most recent theater production this year, “Almost, Maine,” is a collection of stories of people who are all vying to either find, rectify, or complete the journey through the ups and downs of love. The scenes all differ in the stories of the people portrayed in them, from a husband and wife trying to find out where their love went, to two best friends realizing that they had fallen in love with each other.

Personally, I fell in love with the ways the actors portrayed their roles. Each told and expressed the stories of these people who were all attempting to find their way through love and life and the roller coaster that both prove to be. The play catches your attention right from the first scene, which depicts a young couple trying to be with each other, and from then on draws you in.

I believe the play was great not only because of the outstanding acting, but because of the simple fact that everyone has been through these journeys in love; either witnessing or experiencing firsthand what pain or happiness love can bring. I found the play easy to relate to in the sense that all the stories showed what love can do to you — both the joys and the heartbreaks.

My favorite scene of this play was the scene titled “Getting it Back,” which told the story of a man and a woman who were once in a relationship, but had ended it due to his inability to propose to her. The two end up fighting over the love they had given each other, and the scene concludes with him showing her how he could possibly give her back the love she gave him: in the form of an engagement ring.

The play was very enthralling, and each scene elicited a reaction from me; either sadness over the love lost, or happiness over the optimism and light love can bring into a life. The actors played their roles fantastically, and this play was one that I enjoyed deeply.

From the first scene, the play had a collection of humor, melancholia, happiness, and loss — the emotions were wrapped up in every scene and represented perfectly by the actors.

I wasn’t the only one who fell in love with this production. In fact, a girl next to me claimed that the play made her want to “fall in love” herself. To me, the play represented the challenge love really is, and that’s what made me fall in love with this sweet and heartwarming performance by the Niles West Theatre Department.