Passage (Chen)
by Christopher Chen

Name: Passage (Chen)
Brand: Christopher Chen
SKU: 9780822241225
Rating: 3.61 (63 reviews)

Passage (Chen) Book Cover — Passage (Chen) Cover

Highlights

Present DayMulticultural CastingUnit Set/Multiple Settings

What readers are saying

Readers are divided on the effectiveness of 'Passage.' Many appreciate its exploration of power dynamics and relatable themes, particularly when viewed live, while others feel it is overly talky and lacks specificity. Overall, there is a sense that the play resonates deeply with personal experiences, though some find it challenging to follow in its written form.

Explores power dynamics deeplyRelatable themesPowerful final scenesOverly talky at timesLacks specificity in writing

Synopsis

A fantasia inspired by E.M.

Forster’s A Passage to India , Passage is set in the fictional Country X, which is a neocolonial client of Country Y. B, a local doctor, and F, an expat teacher, begin to forge a friendship that is challenged after a fateful trip to a local attraction.

A meditation on how power imbalances affect personal and interpersonal dynamics across a spectrum of situations, the play allows a director wide latitude in casting the roles by race, ethnicity, and gender, with different casting choices highlighting different societal structures.

Press Reviews

"Christopher Chen’s tense, fascinating Passage is a delicate walk through a field of landmines… To Chen’s great credit, Passage struggles not to prescribe… it tries to stay true to its title, fashioning itself as a long dark corridor through which we’re all stepping together – tentatively, fearfully, hopefully – without a light or a door yet in sight."
— New York Magazine

"A real and affecting drama… Passage dares to raise questions that make the audience profoundly uncomfortable, but simultaneously creates a welcoming space to which everyone is invited. Unashamedly political yet deeply humane, it’s a difficult journey that is well worth the trouble."
— Time Out New York