“The Far Country” at Yale Repertory Theatre by Zander Opper

“The Far Country”

Yale Repertory Theatre

Yale Repertory Theatre is currently presenting Lloyd Suh’s compelling play, “The Far Country,” in an excellent production.  Focusing on the years between 1909 and 1930, this show chronicles the plight of men and women from China trying to emigrate to the United States and the unrelenting troubles and agonies they had to face.  On the evocative set, expertly designed by Kim Zhou, the play is two acts long, with the second act being the much brighter one.  As the story unfolds in “The Far Country,” one gets engaged by the lead characters and their plight.  The entire cast is strong, with four of the actors getting significant roles.  Ralph B. Pena’s direction is ideal and “The Far Country” certainly holds one’s attention throughout.  Yale Repertory Theatre has done a fine job with this play and it is definitely worth a look.

When the show begins, the focus is on a transaction between the characters Low and Gee (superbly portrayed by, respectively, Tina Chilip and David Shih).  Gee is trying to bring Low’s son, Moon Gyet (terrifically played by Hao Feng), to the United States, but it is immediately apparent that such a journey is difficult to near impossible and it actually involves the mother and son to have to separate permanently.  During the time chronicled in “The Far Country,” the audience is presented with the grueling and relentless journey that Feng, as Moon Gyet, has to endure to become a United States citizen.  As mentioned in the program, this part of history is unknown to many and “The Far Country” is commendable in simply detailing these years and events as skillfully as it does.

Not to give too much away, but there is a scene in “The Far Country” which sees Feng being questioned by an inspector and an interpreter (these parts are ably performed by Haskell King and Joe Osheroff, respectively) before he is able to even be considered for United States citizenship.  The questions asked are like a pile driver, with such topics included as how many steps did Feng’s childhood house have and also what material were the steps made of and what color were the steps. 

The cruelty of this scene is unmistakable and jarring and one almost gets exhausted hearing each question being asked, over and over again.  Osheroff and King do well playing these unsympathetic characters and Feng is a model of strength and endurance in continually answering these men.  The reason that the questions are so specific about so many minor things is because it was a device used to figure out whether each person trying to get citizenship was telling the truth or not.  In any event, this scene is almost painful to watch.

When the second act begins, it is on a much happier note, even if that happiness proves to be short-lived. And it is in this part of play show that the four main characters are fully delineated.  As mentioned, Tina Chilip, David Shih, and Hao Feng are wonderful in their respective roles and there is also a fourth character, Yuen, who enters toward the end of the show.  Joyce Meimei Zheng portrays Yuen beautifully and she brings a refreshing feeling to “The Far Country” and also a sense of hope and renewal.  It should also be mentioned that, in ensemble parts, David Lee Huynh and Jesse Cao Long make a strong impression in the play, as well.

Director Ralph B. Pena keeps “The Far Country” continually moving from scene to scene and he also does splendid work with his design team.  The fine costumes designed by Kiyoshi Shaw are intricate and expressive of each character and the lighting design by Yichen Zhou helps set the mood of each scene.  Hana S. Kim does wonders with the projection design and the sound design and original music by Joe Krempetz and Xi (Zoey) Lin add a great deal to the show.

And, while introducing and effectively portraying this painful part of history, “The Far Country” is much more than just a history lesson.  One truly comes to care about the lead characters and their plight against almost impossible odds and it is this feeling that one will take away from the show.  Yale Repertory Theatre’s production of “The Far Country” is quite a significant achievement and this is truly one play, uncomfortably relevant to our current times, that demands and deserves to be seen.

“The Far Country” runs through May 18, 2024, at Yale Repertory Theatre, 1120 Chapel St., New Haven CT. For tickets and information, please call 203-432-1234 or visit yalerep.org.  

Photo: Joyce Meimei Zheng and Hao Feng

Photo by T. Charles Erickson