THEATER REVIEW- Prodigal Daughter

Prodigal Daughter is the story of a Korean woman, who was sent to live in the United States as a child, returning to her native land and family upon the death of her father. The play follows her attempts to navigate a way through the social posturing of what is “appropriate” emotion, connect with the mother and sister she left behind, and discover the secrets behind her estrangement.

The story is set in the reconciliation of the Korean War and the American army occupation, which is portrayed by a decorated Yankee general who is hiding a perverted secret of his own. The themes that Prodigal Daughter strives to explore (cultural identities, sacrifice, desperation, regret) are all very ambitious, both the actors and writer should be commended for having made the effort. The Women of Asia Theatre Company Australia is proud of its race-blind casting policies and models its commitment to breaking through stereotypes in all aspects of its work.

The result, though worth watching, is somewhat fragmented. The main character --and the linchpin of the show, seems to have unclear investment in either her life in America or Korea. Her anger and resentment at having been given up is never fully addressed and too many scenes are wasted to illustrate her fish-out-of-Korean-waters status.

Additionally, her relationship with her mother and sister is confusing because moral-jabs replace catch-up and mutual discovery, which should only be expected after a 30+ year absence. In the end, I craved a more satisfying confrontation between strong wills and desires—unfortunately, I had no idea what those were; everything was intentional but somehow lacked intent.