Stephen Massicotte’s The Boy’s Own Jedi Handbook – playing until February 21st at the Vertigo Studio Theatre - is one of those shows that regardless of your age, will instantly take you back to your childhood. Christian Goutsis narrates the story as "The Kid" who moves to a new town in 1977 and discovers Star Wars. Like many kids, he becomes obsessed and his love of the film leads him to connecting with James (Karl Sine) at his new school and forming a bond that would last years.

Goutsis is one of Calgary’s finest chameleon actors and always a pleasure to watch. There is no suspension of disbelief, he morphs from an adult breaking the fourth wall and engaging the audience into a 10-year-old boy. He and Sine completely capture all aspects of adolescent boys and effortlessly slip in and out of the characters. Amber Bissonnette and Sarah Wheeldon round out the cast playing multiple roles – sisters, teachers, Mom – but in the roles of Kerry and Mandy, the 2 girls that catch the notice of James and Kid a few years later when The Empire Strikes Back is released that they really shine. They capture the shyness of preteen girls discovering boys and also seem to physically morph into the young ladies. This is a show which entirely relies on the chemistry and performance of its stars, and director Ryan Luhning nailed it. A creative set with fun multimedia, some classic toys, and creative props all combine into a brilliant show.

It certainly helps to be a fan of Star Wars as some scenes are acted out and some of the jokes are completely related to it. However, you don’t have to be. The show is set long before I was the age of the characters but it still resonated. One could easily substitute any iconic characters from our lives. Transformers. GI Joe. Harry Potter. The story is about imagination, the innocent childhood obsessions that lead us to play. It is about summers camping in your best friend’s back yard playing video games and reading comics. It asks the question in order to grow up, do we have to forget how to be a child?

There is always a longing in us to connect to our youth. That is in part why so many reboots do so well. Sitting in the theatre last year watching the opening credits for The Force Awakens or hearing the iconic music during Jurassic World is powerful because it ties in to important memories and the people we have shared them with. That same feeling is what I experienced during The Boy’s Own Jedi Handbook.  I expected to laugh and have a good time. I did not expect for it to have an emotional impact but it does. Every single person has been these kids. It is one of the most universally connectable plays I have seen. It is funny. It is beautiful. It is a reconnection and a reminder of what our lives have been and why we should not forget it. Star Wars fan or not, everyone should see this play. Bring your own kids, bring your parents, bring a friend, and share in this incredibly special coming-of-age.