Have you ever experienced a language barrier? If your answer is yes, then the play Ching*lish will be very relatable for you. Ching*lish first premiered at the Goodman Theater in Chicago on June 18, 2011 and is now playing at the Longacre Theater on Broadway. It is written by David Henry Hwang and the Broadway production is directed by Leigh Silverman. Ching*lish is a must see Broadway play.
The play is a comedy that aims to show the audience how difficult but funny language barriers can be. The play focuses on Daniel Cavanaugh (played by Gary Wilmes), a businessman who runs a sign making company. Daniel travels to Guiyang, China to arrange a business deal with a local Cultural Center. Daniel noticed that many Chinese signs were incorrectly translated into English, so he offered the Cultural Center an accurate translation of the signs that they will put up. During his time in China, Daniel ends up having an affair with Xi Yan (played by Jennifer Lim), a minister on the Cultural Center board of directors. Xi helps Daniel get the deal and teaches him about Chinese culture.
Simply put, this play was amazing. There were only positives about the performance. The biggest highlight of the play was the playwriting. David Henry Hwang wrote an interesting story that is very relevant in the world today, because many people travel abroad to do business and struggle with new languages and cultures. There were many funny moments in the play, such as when Daniel tried to say the same word that Xi said in Mandarin, but ended up saying a completely different word. The audience was laughing out loud throughout the whole play.
Another highlight of the performance was the scenery, designed by David Korins. There were several different settings in the play, ranging from a restaurant to an assembly room to a hotel room. Each setting looked very realistic. It seemed as if the designer literally took an actual restaurant or hotel room and placed it on stage. The transition between sets was exceptional as well. In between scenes, the lights would go down and music would play while the sets rotated on stage. When the lights were back up, there was a brand new setting on stage that looked completely different from the previous one. The scenery was very enthralling and greatly contributed to the play.
This play would not be possible without the actors, who light up the stage. Stephen Pucci was outstanding in his role as Peter Timms, an Englishman that lives in China and consulted Daniel during his visit. Mr. Pucci’s character required him to speak both English and Mandarin. Mr. Pucci’s Mandarin was excellent. His transitions from English to Mandarin were seamless and he spoke mandarin flawlessly. His Mandarin felt completely natural and unforced. Peter Timms Mandarin ability was crucial to the play, as it allowed Daniel to interact with the Chinese characters. He gets two thumbs up for his performance.
Gary Wilmes and Jennifer Lim brought their characters to life. Mr. Wilmes portrayed Daniel’s confusion and honest effort in understanding the people and culture extremely well. This was evident in every scene where Daniel tried to understand what people were saying in Mandarin. Ms. Lim portrayed a strong willed woman perfectly. Her best performances were when her character interacted with Daniel.
Ching*lish is a must see Broadway play. It exceeded its goal of entertaining the audience with a modern comedic story. The playwriting, acting, and sets were outstanding. There was not a single thing that was bad about this play. Ching*lish is definitely worth the price of admission.
