Tarragon Theatre in association with Why Not Theatre and Broadleaf Creative/Benevolence, created and performed by Kevin Matthew Wong, consulting direction by Mike Payette, Tarragon Extraspace, closes May 4. Tickets here.
Sometimes a performer is so engaging that they could be reading a telephone directory and still captivate an audience.
Such a one is Kevin Matthew Wong whose world premiere “theatre play” Benevolence, currently running at the Tarragon, is an absolute delight on every level. (Wong calls his show a theatre play, hence the quotation marks.)
Wong is something of a polymath.
His credits for Benevolence include performer, creator, director, writer, and video and projection designer. The only things he didn’t do directly are set and lighting (Echo Zhou) and sound (Chris Ross-Ewart). Yizhou Zhang is credited as dramaturg and Tarragon artistic director Mike Payette as consulting director. Nonetheless, we have to regard Wong as a very talented one-man band.
Background
Benevolence is about Wong connecting to his Hakka roots.
The wellspring is his being asked to create a play for seniors about the Hakka experience by a very persistent Jamaican Hakka called Sonja. This play will be performed in front of the thousands of Hakka from all over the world who will gather for a Hakka conference.
And what’s more, Wong has only a couple of weeks to pull the show together. (The actor also plays Sonja along with all the other characters we meet during his journey.)
The Hakka
The Hakka were a nomadic tribe who were the last to migrate south into mainline China. Even though they are closely related to the majority Han Chinese, the Hakka have their own language and culture. As a result of their late arrival, they had to live on the margins of society because the good agricultural land was already taken.
They call themselves “guest people” because they had to keep migrating, both because of poor living conditions and periodic massacres inflicted on them by the Cantonese and other Southern Han. Thus, the Hakka can be found literally all over the world.
As Wong discovers through a series of encounters with elderly Hakka, including his grandmother, as a people the Hakka are considered to be hard-working, egalitarian (particularly in the case of women), fiercely independent, and most of all joyous. The Hakka love a good time.
The Show
Wong’s main fact-finding contacts are Sonja, Peter Wong, head of the Vancouver Tsung Tsin Benevolent Association, and an elderly keeper of the Victoria Hakka temple.
As stated before, Wong’s ability to manifest himself, both physically and vocally, within these characters is simply marvellous. Wong’s imitation skills are uncanny.
The concept of the Tsung Tsin Benevolent Association is very important. Not only does it give Benevolence its title, but it also represents a very important Hakka trait, namely, the firm belief in helping each other in time of need.
Finding out about the Hakka for Wong is a profound journey of self-discovery. He always used to say his background is Chinese, but by the end of Benevolence, he is able to firmly declare that he is Hakka.
The Production
What makes Benevolence such an enjoyable experience is the surprising way Wong uses props, which literally festoon the stage. Props that look like one thing can suddenly transform into something else, and I hesitate to give away any of these very amusing images.
There are also some very startling scenic effects which add to the imaginative nature of the play, in particular, the ending Lion Dance. As well, the projections and videos which are so important to Wong’s chronicle, are deftly chosen. Humour plays a big part in the show.
The Performer
Wong is a charmer. His smile is entrancing and his rapport with the audience is truly a gift. He also is a beautiful mover with a dancer’s grace.
As Wong speaks, he uses his very expressive arms, which are a very attractive component to his stage presence.
Final Thoughts
In short, Wong has given us a much-needed life-affirming theatre play as an antidote against a troubled world. Benevolence is serious, touching, and amusing all at the same time, and should not be missed.
Are you looking to promote an event? Have a news tip? Need to know the best events happening this weekend? Send us a note.
#LUDWIGVAN
Get the daily arts news straight to your inbox.
Sign up for the Ludwig Van Toronto e-Blast! — local classical music and opera news straight to your inbox HERE.
