Mark’s Score: 3 Stars
A Deal has been supported by the Department of Theatre and Performance Studies at The University of Sydney. Zhu Yi is considered China’s leading contemporary female playwright. Her play (an Australian debut) was the winner of the 2016 World Sinophone Drama Competition.
The plot of Ms Yi’s play is indeed novel. A young Chinese actress Li Su (Katherine Nheu) brands herself an orphan and human rights victim to land a star role in an off – Broadway show, declaring her life struggles are equal to the lead characters. Meanwhile her actual living parents (Shi-Kai Zhang and Susan Young) suddenly arrive in New York simultaneously smuggling one million dollars in cash from Shanghai to buy her an apartment in Manhattan. As the opposing schemes from all the family members begins to unravel we are served up themes of identity, loyalty and entitlement. Moreover this dark comedy deals with cultural clash, snobbery and the confusion in values of Chinese parents and their new world offspring.
The play has had success in New York, Taiwan and Hong Kong where it has been viewed as too hard on American mores. Conversely in mainland China it was felt to be not critical enough of Uncle Sam. Zhu Yi has further said that naturally the reaction to her work differs greatly wherever it plays; that the comedic treatment of Mr and Mrs Li can evolve as pure farce while viewed as something profound to other audiences. What fascinated this reviewer was to experience the play with a high percentage of the attendees seemingly with a Chinese background. However this rare opportunity of being among a diverse crowd was not marked in any great way. We all laughed collectively and gasped in unison. This supports all theories that the human condition is mostly the same the world over.
The play has garnered some extra topicality with recent events in Hong Kong as the playwright does not kowtow to mainland political pressures. Indeed Yi has lived in America for 11 years after completing her studies in Shanghai. Her play is equally critical of the cashed up Chinese who have been the greatest real estate buyers in the USA in recent years. There is a lot of pulling and shoving of individuals and ideologies in A Deal whose Chinese title would translate in English as “Noise”. Yi explains she is focussing on the noise that lives outside of harmony. That a loud voice allegedly has all the power. In interview she concludes that the world would be far better with nuance not noise. Certainly Mr Li is a noisy character, and his dialogue at times repetitious, the only criticism within a highly original and tight script.
The Chippen Street Theatre can be a tricky space to perform in. It seems tempting for designers to utilise its great width. The result I find is that we the audience can develop “tennis neck”. An audience is accepting of crossover acting areas and first time director Shiya Lu and her designer Victor Kalka have missed a few opportunities here in the staging. However Ms Lu has created some captivating scenes – a showdown with Li Su’s parents and Peter (Edric Hong) – an erstwhile boyfriend of Mrs Li’s, resident in America for many years. The other is a very raw and naturalistically performed scene (in bed) between hotshot theatre director wunderkind Josh (Simon Lee) and Ms Nheu, in her best moment all evening. Mr Lee’s characterisation is both intricate and taciturn, resulting in some real subtle brutality in his utterances at times.
A Deal ends August 31 and is more than an interesting experiment. I now long for stories about our own Australian migrant communities. There is certainly an appetite for more diversity in the plays on offer and, needless to say, for the theatre to be meaningful it must be all embracing.
Mark G Nagle – Theatre Now
Photo Credit: Kelvin Xu – Luky Studio
A Deal
Zhu Yi
22 – 31 Aug 2019
Thu – Sat 7:30pm
Matinees Sat 3pm, Sun 5pm
Venue: Chippen Street Theatre
Theatre Company: Flying House Assembly.
Duration: N/A
A DEAL is a dark comedy that confronts the issues faced by immigrants as they seek to find their place in a new country; it confronts the clash between the values of Chinese parents and their new world offspring. After its excerpt was staged at Hålogaland Teater, Norway, the play made its controversial debut off-Broadway in 2017, defying the odds to win international acclaim – and multiple awards. Its Australian premiere is presented by the theatre company Flying House Assembly.
The project also includes a public forum China’s Theatre-Makers on a Global Path on Tue 20 August 5-9pm in Sydney University’s Wallace Theatre. Panel guests include Zhu Yi(playwright of A Deal, New-York based writer), Ian Maxwell (the Chair of the Department of Theatre Studies at USYD), Fabrizio Massini (former Artistic Director of Ibsen International, dramaturge of A DEAL) and full cast and creatives of A DEAL. This event is open to the public, free RSVP via https://adealforum.eventbrite.com.
Ticket Prices
Concession $27 Standard $32
