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Chinglish Reviews
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Review by: Mars969, Dec 29, 2011 |
| The signs read; "Funny, Exhilarating, brilliant, a laugh out loud production." The reality it is a "boring, exhausting, belabored and run out the door production." It is pretty sad when within the first ten minutes of a play, audience members were gathering their belongings and leaving. At first, I thought "give the play a chance." I gave the play a chance and left at intermission. The acting was worse than a high school production, the set ... read more was admirable, and the intent was to insult the American public, which it did. I had more excitement walking around Times Square watching a car on fire than I did watching this play. The plot was predictable AND it is difficult to watch a Broadway production while reading the sub titles - YES subtitles in a Broadway play. Don't give this a play a chance, don't waste your money- just don't go. |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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| 2 |
Don't Miss This Play! Review by: Ithaca NY, Dec 23, 2011 |
Whatever you do, don't rely solely on the reviews -- on this site or in the newspapers -- to decide whether you should go see this play. If you can, talk to someone who has seen it, preferably someone who shares your tastes in plays and books.
This is a sparkling production, and the play is a witty and intelligent satire that is at the same time tender-hearted and wise. My wife, daughter and I laughed out loud almost every other minute,... read more, but we left the theater thinking, pondering the social commentary the play provides. It is about both our societies -- Chinese and American -- and it is very, very contemporary. If you read newspapers and think about the world, if you worry about where we are all headed and how our cultures are being changed as banks collapse, jobs disappear, but tall new buildings appear here and there and everywhere, you will enjoy this play. But please don't go to it with too many preconceptions. It is one of the most enjoyable Broadway productions I have seen. (Children 13 and older will enjoy it; there are, however, a few scenes that are a bit risque.) |
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My recommendation:
must see!
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I saw this show with:
Family
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Recommended for:
Romantic Date, Seniors, Adults
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| 3 |
A Rittle Bit Lacist Review by: DoctorJoeE, Nov 21, 2011 |
Not much to laud here. American businessman in China tries to rescue those hapless, not-yet-Americanized Chinese from their incompetently-translated signage before the all-important English-speaking tourists arrive. (The purpose of making the protagonist a former Enron executive--which has no relevance to the thin-as-gossamer plot--other than to make a couple of unfunny, hopelessly outdated Enron jokes, is never elucidated.) ... read more
There are a few moderately funny lines--just like the stuff you can find for free on Engrish.com, if that's your brand of humor. And the story line is moderately racist. Hip progressives will probably say I'm being too PC; but this is the same sort of lame, condescending, Yellow Menace humor that was popular during and after World War II, and again during Korea and Vietnam; and I'm surprised that the Asian actors (who are all very good) are willing to perpetuate this kind of xenophobic nonsense for the sake of a Broadway credit. Sorry, can't recommend it. |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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| 4 |
Your mind will wander Review by: Legs, Nov 10, 2011 |
| This sounded as if it would be so good, but glaringly predictable jokes and so many set changes were disappointing. It seemed as if deciding where the next scene was taking place was more engaging than the story. Dull and wordy and at times difficult to hear, this really fell short of expectations. |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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I saw this show with:
Large Group
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| 5 |
An OK play Review by: Lady Di, Nov 8, 2011 |
| It was a decent play. There were some very funny lines. Not sorry I went but I wouldn't pay full price to see it. |
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My recommendation:
Go see if you get a chance
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Business Associate
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Recommended for:
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Humorous and Thought Provoking Review by: Sarah, Oct 23, 2011 |
| I went to the 2:00 p.m. performance on 10/22/11. It was very thought provoking and also funny. It is a play that makes you think and keep thinking after the show is over. The set was also designed very well. This play is a refreshing change and I would recommend it for most people. |
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My recommendation:
Make an effort to see
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Recommended for:
Anyone
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| 7 |
Don't Waste Your time Review by: CJG, Oct 23, 2011 |
A depressing Broadway season is made more depressing by this flop of a play. If you have
already bought tickets take the loss and save your time and otherwise don't buy.
I don't know what the producers were thinking. At the performance we attended yesterday the lead male role was played by an understudy that would have been dreadful in
a high school production, but I doubt the best actor in the world could have saved this dud.... read more.
I have been to China so appreciate the basic premise of the play, but the thing is just not good enough for Broadway. |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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| 8 |
Worst Show on Broadway Review by: Chubby Theater Goer, Oct 21, 2011 |
You can trust me on this because I saw all the shows on Broadway. I really didn't think there could be a show worst than Spider-man but boy was I wrong. I think that I would like to watch Spidey again just to make me forget this show. Applause at the end was very mild and nobody stood up. Some people ran out to the exit.
The entire show was basically "What, I don't know what you're saying?" And the main actress just speaking in broken ... read more English. In the end, it's a sad day for Asian-Americans once again being reduced to choppy, broken English speaking people with a foreign accent and even sadder day for Asian females as you will find out. Shame on Hwang for bringing this atrocity to production. The ending monologue offers zero wit or laughs and pretty much sums up the play's dullness.
Having said this, the set is surprisingly first rate. Everything in the background is for real including a working revolving door and elevator that appears very realistic.
However, the set alone cannot save the boring and uninspiring story. I only feel sorry for the main actress having to perform this each night. It's clear that Hwang is only a one-hit wonder and his current production will be lucky if it can last three months. |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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| 9 |
Enormously clever, hilarious, subtle Review by: Oats, Oct 17, 2011 |
| This play is, first, very very funny, especially to anyone who has the slightest knowledge of the differences between Chinese and American cultures and languages. (I will not spoil it by giving away any of the hilarity, especially those due to problems translating from one language to the other.) And it is cleverly put together, layer put upon layer, with one component leading to another, one misunderstanding leading to another, and so forth,... read more, in some ways like a classical farce. At the intermission, my thought was that I was enjoying myself a lot but that it was not really such a significant play. I changed my mind in Act 2, as the implications of all that had been set up in Act 1 became clearer. I have been considering those implications ever since . The playwright has a keen mind and makes unexpected turns of plot and character believable in context. Well written, acted and directed. I loved it. |
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My recommendation:
must see!
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I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
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Recommended for:
Romantic Date, Business Assoc., Seniors
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| * Review is an opinion of a BroadwayBox user and not that of BroadwayBox.com and BroadwayBox, Inc. |
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