Stage/Theatre

What: Woking Phoenix
Where: Theatre Passe Muraille, Mainspace Theatre, 16 Ryerson Ave.
When: Now, until Sat., April 27
Highlight: Wholistic aesthetic experience: audio description, movement and snacks galore.
Rating: NNNN (out of 5)
Why you should go: Trials and tribulations of familial love that will resonate for any immigrant child or parent.

HOW do you show love to your family?

Well, the family’s answer in Woking Phoenix may be one familiar to many immigrant households: food.

A show that’s been in process with Silk Bath Collective since the pandemic, Woking Phoenix chronicles a loving portrait of a first-generation Chinese Canadian family over two decades in small-town Ontario. A mother opens a restaurant (yes, named the Woking Phoenix) and begins to navigate Canadian life with her three children: Charlie, Vince,l and Iris.

At 140 minutes with an intermission, this is an epic.

Directors, co-creators, and producers Aaron Jan, Bessie Cheng, and Gloria Mok (莫嘉詠) have a crystal-clear artistic vision as they follow a family through every phase of their life. Act I unfolds as the siblings grow up in this household with dumplings always deliciously wafting over their days while Act II plants itself in their complicated adult lives. Though the pacing dips from here and then, it quickly picks up again with gusto and heart. There is movement and dance interwoven into the heart of this show, surely to be thanked by director Hanna Kiel (길현아), who designed the choreographic concept in collaboration with the performers.

The rush of the restaurant is portrayed through running, jumping and the quick throwing and catching of the landline by all family members working in perfect unison; meanwhile, other more tender moments have slow, sustained dance moves. There is one particular scene where Ma helps Charlie cut her hair, represented by the soft sweeping of her arm around her head: an intimate moment. Lighting designer Noah Feaver bathes these moments in warm, nostalgic light, reminding me much of an A24 movie.

This show is decked out with some killer performances from the Silk Bath Collective cast. Bessie Cheng as Charlie delivers a beautiful transition from closeted tween awkwardness into queer flourishing adult. Madelaine Hodges (賀美倫) who plays Iris, the youngest of the siblings, brings a beautiful youthful emotion to the piece. Vince, played by Richard Lam, rounds out the trio of siblings with rockstar energy, though his emotional believability is not always up to par with his dynamo vocals. Phoebe Hu 胡馨勻 is a powerhouse in her portrayal of Ma, equal parts tender and ferocious. I’m excited to see her work in Salesman in China at Stratford this season.

As the show begins, a preshow announcement lets the audience know that not only are all the performances a relaxed environment, but the entire run of the show is Blind Friendly. Nonvisual/Blind Dramaturg Dr. Jessica Watkin does an excellent job at integrating non-traditional description into the show in a way that is not only accessible but elevates the content itself. The announcement describes each of the characters before they step on stage, both literally and metaphorically, by letting us into their costume design concept—they’re each inspired by a different Chinese dish (hats off to set and costume designer Julia Kim). When a character is talking to an off-stage character, the response they get back is represented by a different sonic element: their absent wannabe-rockstar father figure responds in tangy guitar, and the little girl from next door’s responses are the ring of her bike bell. Kudos to the whole team. Just goes to show that accessibility benefits everyone — as in this piece’s case, the sound elevates the aesthetic experience for the whole audience.

You can even experience the taste of Woking Phoenix with Ma’s Snack box by caterToronto if you preorder at least two days before your performance. And as someone privy to these delicious snacks, I’d say go for it (the fried dumpling is to die for).

Honestly, Woking Phoenix is a rare jewel. Silk Bath Collective takes deep care for its audience, much like the characters care for one another. Catch it while you can. How often do you find a show that’s baked with so much love?