Challenge and Tragedy

The Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis continues to be one of the premier theaters in the country. Last weekend we went to see their latest presentation on the Wuertle Thrust Stage- M Butterfly the Tony-winning play by David Hwang. It was beyond incredible. Randy Reyes is nothing short of remarkable as Song Liling, performer in the Chinese Opera. Andrew Long is mesmerizing as French diplomat Rene Gallimard. The staging is powerful.

M Butterfly: From his prison cell, former French diplomat Rene Gallimard recalls the story of how he came to be loved by Song Liling, a performer in the Peking opera. Assigned to Beijing in the 1960s, Gallimard encounters Song in a performance of Madame Butterfly. Dazzled by her beauty, he believes he has found "the perfect woman," and uses his Western influence to ensnare this exotic butterfly. Their relationship develops into a passionate love affair that lasts more than two decades, yet when Song's identity is revealed - as a man and a spy for the Chinese government - Gallimard discovers far more than the submissive leading lady he wanted, and his personal and political realities dissolve before his eyes.

It is a challenging tragedy equal to anything ever produced. It brings us to an awareness of all kinds of prejudice, even the ones within us. How do I respond to the nudity? How do I feel about the portrayal of Asian women? What about the stereotype of the French? What about the presentation of homosexuality? it is not a fun and easy play. It is classic.

My reaction was simple and deep- I would see this again.

Here is one portion of it with Song Liling (Reyes) challenging western thinking....




M Butterfly at the Guthrie