Witty, authentic, moving, quite hilarious sometimes… and a lot to process afterwards! Set in Chinatown, King of the Yees tells the story of a daughter who doesn’t know much about her heritage, and a father who tries to keep it alive –and why. The story of creating our own story while remembering where we come from, if we don’t want part of who we are to be erased and forgotten. The story of family and how it takes place in the community. A beautiful reminder that our roots are what keep us grounded, not stuck, supporting us to grow and reach for the sky without falling. Giving us the strength to stand in our own presence.
A journey of self-exploration through generations and cultural identity
Lauren Yee thought she was writing a play about the past, then it turned out to be about the future. “This is not the end but the beginning” she concludes. Indeed, the play leaves us with much to ponder. Contemplate our own story and culture –or cultures– and see how we relate to it, how we embrace it or run away from it. And, maybe, realize how we don’t need to pick one world but explore all as one. Inviting us to remember and integrate.
A playfield for sociology
Although I feel as a child of the universe with Earth as my home, not defined by ethnicity nor constricted by borders, free to wander and explore, this is a something I can relate to as a first generation in my birth-country and an immigrant in the new.
This play will not only talk to (Chinese) immigrants and their children, but to anyone feeling somewhat disconnected from their culture and their roots. And that’s the beauty of it.
King of the Yees, by Lauren Yee
For nearly 20 years, playwright Lauren Yee’s father Larry has been a driving force in the Yee Family Association, a seemingly obsolescent Chinese American men’s club formed 150 years ago in the wake of the Gold Rush. But when her father goes missing, Lauren must plunge into the rabbit hole of San Francisco Chinatown and confront a world both foreign and familiar. At once bitingly hilarious and heartbreakingly honest, King of the Yees is an epic joyride across cultural, national and familial borders that explores what it means to truly be a Yee.
Playing in The USA and Canada
In Seattle until October 1st. at ACT with the presence of the actual Larry Yee for the closing act! It was our first time at ACT. A very welcoming staff and a spectacular staging for King Of The Yees in the arena of the Allen Theatre.
French
English
Italian
Spanish
