Notes from the Dramaturg

It has been an extraordinary pleasure to work on a show, which holds such significance in our current times

This play is about identity. As an Asian-Canadian I am faced with the personal question of my place in the world. While I do identify as Asian, I have always been, simply put: Canadian. I have never been to China, but my father’s history has always been an important one to me.

In January of this year as rehearsals for this play were underway the New York Times published an article titled: Face Remixed describing how many young Americans choose to identify as mixed race. As a Canadian I was interested in how the article detailed how many Americans (and in my opinion Canadians as well) identify themselves in singular racial terms^[1], and how that has evolved to acknowledge a more complete history. The wonderful dramaturgical question that arises is simply put: should race matter at all?

In November of last year an article appeared in Macleans’ Magazine titled “The Enrollment Controversy” formerly, “Too Asian?”, which outlined the apparent concern of Caucasian  students in choosing a university, fearing it may be only cater to the growing number of Asian students^[2]. One prospective student interviewed declared she had no intention of going to U of T for that very reason. Canadians have seen our media and politicians insight fear of an apparent Asian-invasion echoing fears of yellow peril that have been cited far too much in North American history. From the Chinese Exclusion Act, the internment of Japanese citizens to that prospective student who feared U of T was “too Asian” and many in between.

Programming David Henry Hwang’s Yellow Face as part of Hart House’s season is a brave and necessary choice to continue the discussion of how North Americawill look to the future. Will we be a nation that fears it has lost is traditions in place of a new one? Or will we continue in the tradition of immigration? Will there be a future where race doesn’t matter? Is the resistance to assimilation self-imposed segregation? 

The performance you are about to see is an unique theatre experience, where one of the best contemporary American playwrights has placed a character representing himself in his own play. Hwang exposes himself with a vulnerability rarely seen by someone who has reached his level of respect within the Asian-American and theatre community. Hwang, through his vulnerability challenges us to look at the hard questions about our histories and identities. He challenges both his character and his audience on the way we perceive ourselves and others and how we question our norm.

As the title suggests, yellow face is at the forefront of exploration in this play. The practice of yellow face has existed since the mid 18th century^[3] becoming mainstream in Hollywoodwith portrayals of Asians in film and TV by white actors. From grotesque examples such as Mickey Rooney in Breakfast at Tiffanys to the recent Hollywood3D Blockbuster: The Last Air Bender where Caucasian actors were requested in the original audition call resulting in protests.

The exploration of yellow face begins with the lack of representation of Asians in the media continuing into the world of political propaganda and then to one’s own perception of self with surprising results. This play is about identity, but more importantly, it is about our future.

It has taught me that it is easy to get angry, to be defensive and to point racial fingers from both sides. Is it anger that fuels change? Or does it prevent it?

To end this note, on a personal level, without revealing too much about the play, my own identity has been challenged, leaving me with the following questions: Do we identify as mixed race or highlight our heritage as we feel it is at our core? Do we do it because we feel there is a need to represent our family history? Is it anger? Pride? Or something we haven’t discovered yet?

Andrew Cheng
Production Dramaturg