Dolcy D’Cruz
Conceived, written, and composed by Ash and Mariia Chandler, the English musical ‘That’s Life’ reflects both their artistic partnership and personal story, evolving from intimate creative exchanges into a full-scale theatrical work. Ash Chandler’s career spans theatre, film, and music, with performances in ‘Guzaarish’ and ‘Love Wrinkle Free’, as well as stand-up comedy. He is also recognised for his work as a singer-songwriter, with a strong grounding in jazz. Mariia Chandler, originally from Kyiv, trained in theatre, music, and dance. Now based in Goa, she works as a performer and recording artist. Her debut single, ‘My Girls’, released in April 2024 on major streaming platforms, “Love Wrinkle Free’ that came out in 2012, is about a family in Goa, where I play Savio Monteiro. I moved from Mumbai in 2013. In 2014, I stopped breathing after a motorcycle crash in Goa. I met Mariia on February 17 in 2019. I had gone to Kyiv from Atlanta to share Mariia’s birthday. I had written a song in seven languages for her birthday. And as it kind of turns out, since it’s also kind of my second birthday after the new life post the crash, she had also written a song. I knew she was a multidisciplinary artist, but I didn’t know that she was also such a good songwriter. We started working on the musical in 2023, when we wrote 13 songs and started arranging them. By 2024 beginning, we had all the songs ready, then we started looking for the right kind of space and the right team. It was a very deeply personal moment,” says Ash Chandler as he takes a break from the rehersals. With Ash and Mariia based in Sangolda, the rehearsals began at Darryl’s D’Souza’s dance studio in Calangute, moved to the Chandler’s home, and one other space, and a few days before the show, the rehearsals are happening at the theatre.
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The next task was to rope in a great director, “Keith Anthony Sequeira is a young, brilliant actor and director. He recently had his play ‘A Miracle’ written and directed by him played at the NMACC in Mumbai. We got Keith’s contact from Etienne Coutinho, who’s directed ‘Bombay Jazz’, which is a beautiful musical. Ironically, even Keith is originally from Colva. It’s amazing as everything about this play is DEMPO COLLEGE, CUJIRA HOSTS CULTURAL EXTRAVAGANZA K-OSS 2026 ‘BE YOURSELF’ SESSION ON SELF AWARENESS AT OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY HS, DONA PAULA Goan,” informs Ash. ‘That’s Life’ explores the emotional contradictions of contemporary living. Set in a stylised, time-bending world, the musical blends nostalgia with modern reality, where vintage aesthetics coexist with present-day elements.
The story follows two contrasting characters, Louis and Margaret, played by the creators. Louis, a financial strategist, approaches life through patterns and algorithms, while Margaret works quietly behind the ticket window of a vintage cinema, observing the world around her. When their paths cross, they are drawn into a journey across imagined spaces, from Central Park in New York to The Peak in Hong Kong, within a timeless environment that merges past and present. Interestingly, not a single city in the world is mentioned. “One of the things that Maria and I wanted to do with this play is revolt against the idea of identity. There’s no labels as they don’t even have last names. We don’t mention in which time this is taking place because the idea is that life happens no matter what time. While Goa is not mentioned in the play, Goa is important. I don’t think this play, could have been written if he hadn’t met in Goa. We wouldn’t have had the time to do this anywhere else in the world, to also consider who the right partners were musically. Goa is at the heart of it. There will be things that people will see on the LED wall behind us. All our sets are on a 30 foot LED wall. Technologically, this play is very different from something anybody’s ever seen before,” says Ash. While the play revolves around Louis and Margaret, there are four characters on stage with them at all times who are covered in black from head to toe, who don’t say a word because they represent the nameless, faceless things that happen to us every day that we call life.
They don’t have dialogues but they dance and they do all sorts of mischief. The audience can see life happening to Louis and Margaret. But they never see life happening to them. After the premiere in Goa, the musical has plans to be showcased to the world. “The idea was to premiere it here in Goa. We have the tape of it. Now, this tape will then get sent out. There are people waiting for this tape in New York and Mumbai. We have an offer to come perform it in London already. We have a show that’s being talked about already. There’s only six people but it will look like you have 50 people because the six people are playing so many other people. It’s just about life and people and real human emotions,” says Ash. Speaking about her experience with the musical’s rehearsals, Mariia explains, “I remember when we started rehearsals with Keith, I was very happy as it is a very deeply close character. She’s quite different for me, but all of us have a little Margaret inside of us. And her story is about empowering women and finding your femininity and finding that you are already enough. We have a very beautiful phrase in the song, ‘like a mother who’s also a virgin, you’re never going to be enough’. And then she has this song that is going to be a transformation. And she’s like, we’re all just works in progress. We are enough. So that’s the whole idea. I wanted to reach people with this thought and this feeling.” Mariia calls the Goan crew amazing as she says, “Everybody’s doing a really great job. Sonia David, our choreographer is super professional.
We’re actually blessed as all the right people came for this project. I’m super grateful.” The show features 13 songs, most of them full-length compositions, alongside shorter pieces that are woven into the storytelling. Some tracks advance the narrative, while others stand independently, reflecting on everyday emotional tensions and relationships. The World Premiere will take place at the theatre auditorium at Ark Community Center, Mapusa, on April 18 at 7 pm and is also tied to a larger social purpose through its association with El Shaddai, with proceeds supporting its work with underprivileged children.
