Tiananmen Annie

It was a wonderful show! I was captivated, my emotions going from laughter to tears. It made me want to know more about this history. Thank you Ann Starbuck for giving us such an enjoyable piece.... full review

Not only was this one of the most amazing theater experiences I had a Fringe, this is one of the best shows I've seen in a long time. Annie Starbuck is so honest in her relating of her time leading up the the Tiananmen Square Massacre. The stories she tell are funny and sad and scary and above all real - not only then but today. You'd be a fool to miss this beautiful piece of art.... full review

When I heard about TIANANMEN ANNIE at the Hollywood Fringe Festival, I knew I had to see it since I visited Tiananmen Square in 2008 just prior to the Beijing Olympics and knew the immense emotional power of the place. As a college student and member of the Baby Boom generation, examining our society and working toward social revolution via protesting was always important to me. So when I went to China, I took along my I Love Tweety tee-shirt so I could take a picture of myself proudly wearing an American icon when I was standing in the middle of the place where students were willing to speak up and even die to take a stand against oppression, creating a worldwide revolution in the process. After all, the Berlin Wall fell just five mon... full review

What a wonderful piece of story telling! Ann Starbuck's powerful and evocative narrative is told with blissful simplicity and honesty - gliding effortlessly from character to character, and encapsulating their atmosphere and emotions strikingly. The set is elegant. The balance between comedy and pathos is very tasteful. And the insights into such a potent time in contemporary history are profound and affecting. A lovely piece of work. Good luck at the NY Fringe! ... full review

From the moment you walk in the theatre and see the simple but elegantly evocative, highly functional set you know you're in good hands. Ann Starbuck delivers an endearing, honest and heartbreaking performance as she tells the tale of her year as a college student in China culminating in the Tiananmen Square Uprising. This is a beautifully structured piece. Tales from the Tiananmen Square Uprising are the bones. Lighter tales of her year leading up to it provide both comic relief and the building blocks of her skills and growing understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture that allows her to be of great help to CNN as a student translator during the Uprising. Her characters are sharp and well-defined while tinged with the genuine... full review

Ann Starbuck is a masterful storyteller. The story itself is riveting, but Ann brings a whole other life to it with the characters she presents. The simple but inspired set transports the tiny black box stage into an instantly iconic Chinese landscape. The sound design was evocative and poinent- perfectly designed to only add and never distract from the real emotion and story. This story and performance had so much heart and transported the audience right there to Tiananmen Square. Congrats to everyone involved! I hope to see this show take on a longer run or tour. It's a work of art!... full review

I can't stop thinking about this show! I loved seeing Anne Starbuck embody her 21 year old self--a young student yearning for adventure. It's a fascinating story told with precision and wit, feeling and keen observation. I felt like I was there with her watching these incredible events unfold. The stage design and lighting added so much to the feeling tone of the show. There's always a sense of danger lurking, even in the most charming, every-day moments, which keeps you on the edge of your seat. Great show!... full review

A beautiful piece of theatre. Annie transported us to a powerful time in China where we got to meet humans who affected her and ultimately affected us too. The set design/music only added to an already beautiful show. A most necessary show for NY!... full review

This was not a show I had meant to see. But, a gap opened in my schedule and this play was a convenient plug. Now I have seen some amazing work at this Fringe. There were a few shows where I was almost tempted to stand and join the ovation they received. At “Tiananmen Annie” I lead the ovation. This is excellent, excellent work.... full review