SOFT POWER began with a Joseph Papp Free Preview performance on Tuesday, September 24 in The Public's Newman Theater and will run through Sunday, November 10.
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Review Roundup: What Did the Critics Think of SOFT POWER at the Public?
SOFT POWER began with a Joseph Papp Free Preview performance on Tuesday, September 24 in The Public's Newman Theater and will run through Sunday, November 10.
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I found this new musical to be interesting and hilarious at the same time. The synopsis says that the musical is about a Chinese business executive that falls in love with Hillary Clinton after the 2016 election. An interesting concept and very present in our political climate now. Based on the reviews of this musical, it seems that the show has an ingenious format to tell the story, but has so much going on and so many issues that it touches base with, that it cannot properly address each and therefore its power is muted. Many reviewers enjoyed it, so it must be funny. I really liked that the music and lyrics was described as Sondheim meets Lin-Manuel. A very interesting description that makes me want to go to New York right now just to hear what they reviewer was describing. This musical also seems to take a stab at race issues and racial stereotypes perpetrated around Asian Americans. A very interesting concept and though maybe it did not pull it off completely, as the reviewers said, but still it is at the Public Theater in New York. It has to be at least entertaining.
Its amazing to see art that revolves and is centered around Asian American actors and stories being produced on a New York stage. I was lucky enough to work around Leigh Silverman this summer and she is definitely a powerhouse of a director that can't be beat. These stories that are up there, need to be told, and it highlights actors of color and creates a landscape for theater makers to properly portray the Asian-American experience on stage. I find it interesting that this article keeps on referring back to the King and I, which is a rather antiquated story and show that shows a white washed version of what it means to be Asian, while Soft Power is very much about creating stories that are real. I'm planning on watching this when I eventually go to New York and I hope that producers are smart enough to put this on a broadway stage because these stories deserve far more than any movie turned musical.
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