LAOWANG

by Alex Lin

Don't mess with a Chinese grandma. When a high-rise developer threatens to tear down or buy out A-poh's successful Chinatown restaurant, the martyr-complex matriarch gathers her three precious grandchildren from all corners of the country to plan their next mode of attack. There's just one problem: A-Poh's memory is rapidly fading. What follows is a chaotic journey through reality, myth, and magic as A-Poh...

Don't mess with a Chinese grandma. When a high-rise developer threatens to tear down or buy out A-poh's successful Chinatown restaurant, the martyr-complex matriarch gathers her three precious grandchildren from all corners of the country to plan their next mode of attack. There's just one problem: A-Poh's memory is rapidly fading. What follows is a chaotic journey through reality, myth, and magic as A-Poh travels through now and the great beyond as a last-ditch effort to preserve what's left of her family, legacy, and sanity. A caustic and imaginative spin on Lear in response to the gentrification of America's Chinatowns.

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LAOWANG

Recommended by

  • Shaun Leisher: LAOWANG by Alex Lin
    “

    A brilliant riff on King Lear about passing down one's culture. A-poh is a role of a lifetime for an older Chinese actress. Equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking.

    A brilliant riff on King Lear about passing down one's culture. A-poh is a role of a lifetime for an older Chinese actress. Equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking.

    ”
  • Nick Malakhow: LAOWANG by Alex Lin
    “

    A funny, moving play that explores family, gentrification, and legacy, and more through the multi-layered and complex relationships of A-Poh, Lai-Fa, Amy, and Steven. The siblings are boldly introduced and deftly rendered and A-Poh's journey of grappling with both her legacy as a single mother and business owner while navigating cognitive decline is potent and exciting. I loved the theatrical playing with time and space to help illustrate A-Poh's plight and the poignant ending scene between her and Lai-Fa.

    A funny, moving play that explores family, gentrification, and legacy, and more through the multi-layered and complex relationships of A-Poh, Lai-Fa, Amy, and Steven. The siblings are boldly introduced and deftly rendered and A-Poh's journey of grappling with both her legacy as a single mother and business owner while navigating cognitive decline is potent and exciting. I loved the theatrical playing with time and space to help illustrate A-Poh's plight and the poignant ending scene between her and Lai-Fa.

    ”

Development History

  • Workshop, NYTW, 2023