Trying to Find Chinatown and Bondage

by David Henry Hwang

Overview

TRYING TO FIND CHINATOWN. Lost on his way to Chinatown, Benjamin asks Ronnie for directions. Ronnie, playing his violin on the street for money, is offended that just because he looks Asian he automatically knows where Chinatown is. Caucasian looking, Benjamin was adopted by an Asian-American family at birth. He revels in his heritage and is looking for the house where his father was born. Ronnie, on the other hand, throws himself into all things American and finds it hard to sympathize with Benjamin who, when he finds his father's house, is filled with a special elation. (2 men.) BONDAGE. In a Los Angeles S&M parlor, a dominatrix and her client are clad head-to-toe in leather costumes that conceal their faces and ethnicities. These elaborate disguises allow them to play out fantasies based on racial stereotypes and sexual mythologies: She pretends to be an African-American woman to his white, liberal man; he transforms into an Asian-American and she into a blond WASP, etc. Exchanging biting social observations with stinging humor, they progress through their power games to expose the arbitrariness of racially minded thinking. All the while, however, they are haunted by an awareness that in spite of their efforts, they may be moving towards the most terrifying reality of all—a true intimacy that transcends the bounds of race. (1 man, 1 woman.)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780822215523
Publisher:	Dramatists Play Service, Incorporated
Publication date:	01/01/1996
Pages:	47
Product dimensions:	5.24(w) x 7.72(h) x 0.13(d)

Table of Contents

Trying to Find Chinatown. Lost on his way to Chinatown, Benjamin asks Ronnie for directions. Ronnie, playing his violin on the street for money, is offended at the assumption that because he looks like an Asian man, it would be assumed he knows the location in Chinatown that Benjamin seeks. Benjamin does make some assumptions, but perhaps not those Ronnie claims. A Caucasion looking man, Benjamin was adopted by an Asian-American family at birth. He revels in his heritage and is on his way to find the house in which his father was born. He clings to his adopted heritage as Ronnie tries to shake loose of his. Ronnie throws himself into his American music, as Benjamin finds his father's house and is filled with his own kind of joy.

Bondage. In a Los Angeles sadomasochistic parlor, the dominatrix, Terri, and her client, Mark, are clad head to toe in leather costumes which conceal their faces and ethnicities. These elaborate disguises allow them to play out fantasies based on racial stereotypes and sexual mythologies: she becomes an African-American woman to his white liberal man; he transforms into an Asian-American and she to a blond WASP, etc. Exchanging biting social observations laced with stinging humor, they progress through their power games, exposing the arbitrariness of racial mythology. All the while, however, they are haunted by a growing awareness that beneath their own masks, despite their own efforts, they may be moving to the most terrifying reality of all - true intimacy transcending the boundaries of race.

Editorial Reviews

BONDAGE is an intriguing piece of writing by one of the most intelligent and original...voices in the American theater.

Detroit News

...the author of proves to be a wry observer of contemporary mores and racial stereotypes.

NY Times