The title Laowang: A Chinatown King Lear (written by Alex Lin; directed by Joshua Kahan Brody) is immediately intriguing. Unfortunately, the play does not live up to the title. Yes, there is a family head (in this case, a matriarch). Yes, she is deciding what to do with her fortune and property (a Chinese restaurant and its valuable building). And, yes, there are ungrateful progeny (two granddaughters and one grandson).
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| Wai Ching Ho, Cindy Cheung, Jon Norman Schneider, Amy Keum Photo: James Leynse |
Unfortunately, there are also scenes of manipulative seduction, as if from a different play, that are totally cringe. There are many generic tropes, including tight-ass lawyer, effeminate gay man, belittling grandmother, and predictable inter-sibling arguments. There are thin characters with about a trait and a half each.
What isn't there is tragedy. That the matriarch is losing her hold on reality evokes little sorrow because we barely know her. Her hallucinations come across as carefully placed exposition dumps. In terms of plot, what should be deeply meaningful comes across as trivial.
Some cast members are effective, some aren't. Some of the direction is interesting. Some of the writing is good. But the negatives far overshadow the positives, and the 90 minutes feel much, much longer. The biggest disappointment is the waste of a fascinating concept.
Wendy Caster
