Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Ma-Yi Theater Company’s ONCE UPON A (KOREAN) TIME is panoramic, well-appointed, but a tad unfocused

• By drediman
• September 14, 2022
• No Comments

Down at La Mama’s Ellen Stewart Theatre, I recently had the chance to take in Once Upon a (Korean) Time by Daniel K. Isaac. Presented by Ma-Yi Theater Company — which this season celebrates its 30th anniversary — the panoramic new play chronicles the experiences of a Korean family over the decades, beginning during the 1930s in the trenches of a war-torn Korea. From there, the play proceeds to give a series of snapshots of the lives of subsequent generations of the family, using traditional Korean mythology and folk tales to aid in the telling of their stories.

Mr. Isaac (who recently starred to great acclaim in Ma-Yi’s well-received production of The Chinese Lady at the Public Theater) uses these myths as a means for his characters to either escape the harsh realities of life or to make sense of the chaos therein. Admittedly, some segments of the work are stronger and more focused than others. The play’s storytelling can occasionally be muddled and its tone haphazard (e.g., at one point, a fantastical drag queen fabulously but confoundingly takes center stage, making little sense within the context of that point of the narrative). But ultimately, these slight misgivings are neither hear nor there. I applaud the playwright for his ambition and willingness to theatricalize stories and slices of history that have been under-represented at large.

Ma-Yi usual suspect Ralph B. Peña has directed the piece with polish and panache, incorporating dynamic video projections in his well-appointed staging. He also nicely utilizes the expansiveness of the Ellen Stewart Theatre, particularly its verticality. The performances from the ensemble cast are impassioned across the board, and collectively, they tell Mr. Isaac’s stories with unflagging commitment (notably effectively is Sonnie Brown, who was a heartbreaking standout in Sam Chanse’s what you are now last season). Suffice to say, it was a pleasure to behold an all Asian American cast up on the boards.

RECOMMENDED

ONCE UPON A (KOREAN) TIME
Off-Broadway, Play
Ma-Yi Theater Company at La Mama’s Ellen Stewart Theatre
1 hour, 30 minutes (without an intermission)
Through September 18