Everyman Theatre: The Chinese Lady

 Everyman Theatre's current production is Lloyd Suh's historic biography of Afong Moy, "The Chinese Lady."  She was purchased from her father and brought to the United States in 1834 at the age of 14 years-old, by a pair of entrepreneur brothers who hoped to exploit her exoticism to boost their sales of mid-range oriental trinkets to a burgeoning middle class.  She was only supposed to stay for two years.  After a decade she was sold off to P. T. Barnum and spend the next 30 years in his stable of exotic "freaks".  At no time was she paid more than room and board.  The entire time from her arrival in 1834 to her dismissal from the indenture to Barnum she was accompanied by an unrelated translator named Atung.  He remained her friend up until the age of 56 when she was cast off.  She lived to the age of 82.  The play tells her story and along with it Atung's, and good deal of the milestones of U.S.-Sino relations in the 19th century.

The costumes are lavish, the set breath-takingly beautiful.  As Atung, David Lee Huynh powerfully offered up a look at the character's inner life, all the while walking through his days as the "other," the non-person.  He's new to the DMV and I hope to see more of his talents here.  Tuyet Thi Pham is a familiar member of Everyman Theatre's repertory company.  In previous outings, she's conveyed a sense of inner-strength that was never fully mined--here she let's loose the mother load.  Her presentation followed the character's evolution as envisioned by Suh from innocent abroad to ultimate survivor.  It was an inspired performance.

I wish there was more light in this image to reveal the richness of the woodwork on the walls.

Afong Moy (Tuyet Thi Pham) as Atung (David Lee Huynh) grooms her hair.

Afong Moy explaining the use of chopsticks.

Atung struggling with his platonic relationship with Afong Moy.

Afong Moy on her last day as The Chinese Lady.