A fine evening of comedy theatre, staged by Theater Mu on
the Boss thrust stage of Park Square Theatre. Through August 19. I am
repeatedly astonished at the variety of fine quality live theater available in
the Twin Cities.
Director Randy Reyes has taken a farcical comedy by May
Lee-Yang and offered a large and varied cast for the pleasure and education of
local audiences. Under his able hand the play rockets through scene after
scene, telling the twisting tale of a Hmong personality coach, excellently
played by Gao Hlee, who takes on the task of softening the image of a wealthy
Korean business magnate, well-acted by Brian Kim, when he comes to the Midwest
to make some deals and expand his management experience.
Gao Hlee plays Dexieng Yang, the personality coach. She is
obsessed with Korean soap operas and a traditional need to be pregnant prior to
her thirtieth birthday. In the play she’s twenty-nine plus.
The play bounces between hilarious jokes, stage turns and
pointed comment on Asian and Midwestern white culture. Tender moments of
development, apparently otherworldly apparitions and a mother from Hell all are
expertly interspersed.
Staging would have been improved if more
attention had been paid to the special requirements of thrust staging, but the overall
experience of a strong comedy A most enjoyable evening at the theatre.
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