Ever been to a destination wedding and felt some existential dread as your life regrets flash before your eyes throughout the trip? If not, you're in luck because that's exactly what the lead character, Candace goes through in "Who Drinks Mocktails on the Beach?". Directed by Damon Bradley Jang, this one-woman Fleabag-style show, which, if you don't know, centres storytelling by combining narration with frequent fourth-wall breaks, starring Sara Mayfield as Candace is as comedic as it is heart-wrenching.

The vacation starts at the airport, where we are first introduced to Candace. A college party-girl attending her best friend Jacki's wedding in Cancun, she reveals details about herself as the story goes on. Everything from Jacki's cat and how she met her fiancee Ken is told to us from Candace's point of view. Additionally, the wedding is not without drama as she meets a stranger and gets a little too drunk. Also, the play features some 2000's pop-punk performances to break up the story. As the show progresses, you begin to piece together things about Candace's mysterious past and self-image, such as her lack of human connection, reliance on alcohol, and grief for her animal friends.

Mayfield is an amazing lead. Her vocals are strong when the pop-punk ballads come on, she's hilarious, and she's comfortable with the audience. This show doesn't necessarily have a splash-zone, but she does love interacting with the viewers in small ways like eye-contact and brief questions; she's very loveable. Her storytelling is clear and easy to follow, and the humour blends into the rest of the script very smoothly. When writing the show (Sara is the playwright!), Mayfield clearly put a lot of intent into what moments were purely emotional and which ones were more comedic; which made the heavy moments in the play hit even harder.

All the props in the show fit into Candace's large black tote, which honestly is a huge advantage that makes the use of props in general feel really natural as opposed to picking something up behind a curtain or from a stagehand for example. The lighting was intentional, adding to the beachfront atmosphere. However, the star of the show tech-wise was hands down the sound effects. Every single possible sound effect was thought of and included. Airport ambiance, phone notifications, camera clicks, even the music in Candace's airpods. On top of that, all of the SFX cues were perfectly timed with Mayfield's miming. It was so satisfying to watch.

Overall, Candace makes for a loveable protagonist in "Who Drinks Mocktails on the Beach?". The show is not only technically impressive, but Mayfield is a certified star on stage. Her ability to play a character who's such a ball of sunshine who's also simultaneously experiencing insane inner turmoil is astounding. Mayfield's performance will make you smile and come close to tears all within the play's 55 minute runtime.