A great air of anticipation followed by loud applause as the lights dimmed before word was spoken, greeted the cast at the opening moment of the opening of K-Box at the Malthouse.
A new work by writer Ra Chapman – six years in the scripting bringing her personal life’s experiences as an interracial adoptee to us in a comical yet with drama play.
As a Korean adoptee and going back and forth to Korea over the past 10 years Lucy, (Susanna Qian) struggles with her Korean identity, her birth father and culture and even her failure to learn Korean. Adoptive parents George (Syd Brisbane) and Shirley (Maude Davey) have provided what is seemingly a loving and protective family home.
We have Lucy arriving home after an absence, depressed, having quit her job, ditching her boyfriend and looking for somewhere to sleep while seeking solace.
Her parents are finding it hard to relate to her as they seek answers over the dinner table. Things aren’t what they were and even more complicated when a mysterious K-Pop Star (Jeffrey Liu) suddenly appears at the front door only to ask questions about her Korean family. It is from here that cracks appear in her relationship with her adoptive parents.
While both Susanna Qian and Jeffrey Liu are newcomers, they fulfilled their roles well; a highlight for Liu was his spontaneous vocal rendition amidst pyrotechnics and a smoke haze.
Qian showed us her strong capabilities in managing a wide range of emotions skilfully. Davey as mother had many comical lines, fussing around the kitchen and dinner table while Brisbane as George, had all the traits of a protective father, yet having to deny he was racist.
An intertwining story of the relationship of adoptees with their adoptive parents – plenty of questions to ask, with many unanswered.
Performance Season: until September 18
Venue: The Beckett Theatre, The Malthouse, 113 Sturt St., Southbank
Bookings: malthousetheatre.com.au

• Review by Graeme McCoubrie