Untitled F*ck M*ss S**gon Play

Bold, modern and unashamedly confrontational, Kimber Lee's thrilling new play is as disturbingly funny as it is raw and honest, creating a new breed of meta storytelling that creates a mindf*ck that words cannot do justice to.

I'll be honest, going into this play I had no idea what to expect; the title gives so little away other than the critique of Asian depiction within theatre, and yet I was massively excited. The play most certainly delivers on its titular promise, delivering a scathingly satirist and witty condemnation of not just Miss Saigon, but so many more musicals of Asian focus, convincing its audience of its argument early on, creating a sense of urgency and potent necessity in the message Kimber Lee so eagerly draws attention to. This is just the tip of the iceberg however - what lies unseen is one of the most refreshing and creative pieces of theatre that pushes the boundaries of what can be done with the art form.

It would be impossible to compliment this play without first singing the praises of Mei Mac, who gives a tremendous performance as the central figure Kim, providing intensity to the anger and pain that the character feels on behalf of the Asian community. The talent in this cast extends far beyond its protagonist however, as all 6 members of the company display phenomenal talent: Rochelle Rose was engaging and brilliantly funny as the Narrator and Lourdes Faberes who delivered a gripping and heartfelt monologue in the second act.

Ultimately this is a play of two halves: a hysterical meta commentary on the repetitive imperialistic representation of Asian women in Western media, and a contemplative psychological drama. Amazingly, these two seemingly disconnected acts work in perfect tandem, the former demonstrating what Lee seeks to criticise in her writing, and the latter forming her personal commentary on the problems the first hour of the play lies out. Despite this, the play does have its flaws: while the clever subversion of classic tropes in the first act feels razor sharp in its writing and humour, the play stumbles somewhat in the second act, opting to turn to longer - perhaps messier - monologues that hinder the swift pace that had previously been established. In some ways it is effective - the stream of consciousness style allows the audience to explore the psychological effects of the Asian-American experience and immerses the play within the distorted mind of Kim, - however, the result is most noticeably a loss of the earlier thrilling pace of the play up until that point.

That being said, Untitled F*ck M*ss S**gon Play remains a fantastic piece of writing that feels timely and necessary, approaching the medium of theatre in an ingenious way that allows for thought provoking and high concept discussion. If you're looking for a reality bending, heart wrenching and perspective changing night out... this is the play for you.

Untitled F*ck M*ss S**gon Play runs at the Royal Exchange Theatre until 22nd July before transferring to the Young Vic Theatre.

https://www.royalexchange.co.uk/whats-on-and-tickets/untitled-f*ck-m*ss-s**gon-play

[Watched 05/07/23]

Photography credit: Richard Davenport