Theater Review: Chinglish



Stephen Pucci and Jennifer Lim. Photo: Michael McCabe

Humorous Look at Communication Glitches Uncovers Human Frailties Too
By Lauren Yarger
Miscommunications in language and love highlight Chinglish, a humorous offering from playwright David Henry Hwang (M. Butterfly).

Ohio sign maker Daniel Cavanaugh (Gary Wilmes) heads to China to try to win a contract for making signs that will be needed at a newly constructed arts center. He thinks convincing officials to spend a little money now to avoid embarrassment later like that suffered by other cities who post incorrectly translated signs will take about a week, but that's not the first misunderstanding that he encounters.

He enlists the help of Peter Timms (Stephen Pucci), a Brit who teaches English and who passes himself off as a sort of consultant for the Chinese government. In a land where there is no justice, just predictable outcomes, it will take Cavanaugh at least eight weeks just to build relationships, Timms explains. He doesn't realize, however, that Cavanaugh will start a romantic relationship with Xi Yan (Jennifer Lim), vice minister of cultural affairs, which complicates negotiations as well as the couple's personal lives as they ponder their own unhappy marriages and experience a gap in communication with each other, even in bed.

"OK, I think what you said to me is really important," Cavanaugh says, but has to admit that he has no idea what it was. He also doesn't catch that the words Xi Yan speaks during their lovemaking are all about the frustration she feels with her husband. He finds himself falling in love, however, and plans to leave his wife.

Xi Yan's boss, Culture Minister Cai Guoliang (Larry Lei Zhang) opposes awarding the contract to Cavanaugh, though he indicates through a grossly inept (and riotously funny) translator Miss Qian (Angela Lin) that he s considering it. Communications between the players get even more muddied as it becomes obvious that Guilang may want to hide some nepotism, Timms might not have been clear about his standing with the government, Cavanugh's company might not be quite what he said and Xi Yan's ulterior motives might be to gain a promotion for her husband (Johnny Wu).

Hwang's nice character development and humorous dialogue create an interesting study of the clash of cultures as well as human frailty. Chinese dialogue is translated with the words projected on David Korins' fabulous modular set pieces that revolve and float together to construct various settings (Brian McDevitt, lighting design; Jeff Sugg and Shawn Duan, projection design). American-sounding music with Chinese lyrics (Darron I. West, sound design) is used between scene changes.

Some of the funniest moments come from a slide show where Cavanaugh displays examples of grossly mistranslated signs."To take notice of safe. The slippery are very crafty," is one way of warning about "slippery slopes ahead." One other thing that's not clear is why Wilmes delivers mist of his lines in full yell. It's almost like that joke where someone yells at someone speaking a foreign language in the hopes that volume will somehow supersede the inability to understand.

Overall, it's an enjoyable time at the theater, and the very sparse audience the day I attended was a surprise. Might be a good choice for easy tickets if you are wondering what to see over the holidays.

Catch Chinglish at the Longacre Theatre, 220 West 48th St., NYC. Discounted tickets are available by clicking here.

Christians might also like to know:
--Show posts a Mature advisory
--Language
--Sexual dialogue
--Sexual activity