Interviewing for the Role of Father

A heartbreaking/warming tale! Xander leaves it all out on the stage in a portrayal about how two very different people attempt to bridge the complicated gap of family, love and obligation. ... full review

The theatricality, bravery, vulnerability, and heart of this show merits every accolade it will receive and then some. Xander has created an achingly vulnerable, universally moving, and fresh-feeling piece of theater. Watching this show performed was a historic-feeling moment that bonded us as an audience, especially since we caught the night with Xander's real father watching remotely. This work was a gift to everyone who got to watch it.... full review

I really enjoyed the production; it brilliantly captures the intense friction and frustration of strenuous migrant parent-child relationships. The overall experience was a whiplash of emotions that, even after the show's end, forces you to take a moment to remember that you are no longer in the mind of the writer, but back in your own mortal coil.... full review

A thorough excavation of a father-son relationship that made me want to call my loved ones.... full review

I was extremely impressed. The writing was composed of tangled, interrelated layers, which made grasping very fine shades of difference within those layers a requirement for understanding the performance. It wasn't until the very end that I was able to see the whole that all the layers taken together constituted. This made the experience quite breathtaking. I was taken aback by both the quality of writing and the performance. The many layers began being applied the moment the theatre doors opened. One the characters was planted in the audience waiting room. More layers were laid down one after the other. The skill that it takes to pull something like this off makes my head shake. It was simply amazing.... full review

Xander really bled for his art and it shows. What a raw, emotional, and powerful performance that can only come from someone speaking their whole truth with all of its contradictions. The characters were so well fleshed out, the humor was perfectly placed, and the writing was incisive. Goosebumps and tears by the end of the show — I had no recourse but to stand and clap. The themes spoke to me deeply and will speak to most folks (especially those of color or immigrants) with complicated parents. I can't wait to see the heights that Xander takes this to!... full review

An incredibly raw and vulnerable piece that wasn't so vulnerable that it pushed us away, rather there were no moments where I wasn't enraptured in the story and the poetry specifically helped connect and made the audience go "mmm" and "yes", proving it's effectiveness in relatability. This show was a heartbreaking exploration of grief. Xander is truly an incredible playwright and performer. I can't wait to see how this show further develops. It could be put on Broadway right now with no changes. A must must must-see. ... full review

Xander's performance in this was great! The way he wove such poetic verbiage so conversationally and so specific, moment to moment, was a treat to watch. I also enjoyed the hints of the dark and twisted aspects of the character Saph.... full review

Xander's performance in this play is a must see. They brought the room to tears as the play brings to the surface any suppressed emotions you might have about words left unsaid. It reminded me that we don't know how much time left we have, and to act accordingly. It also touches on what I'm sure must be a universal longing for a loving parental figure in our lives and the experience of it often falling short of expectations once we realize that parents too are full human beings dealing with their own past and trauma. Xander is one to watch out for. An outstanding performance. ... full review

A must-see. Raw, exploratory, frustrating, funny, profound, honest. ... full review