The Liftist

In Amy Dong's and Mason Ma’s play, The Liftist, it is best to expect the unexpected. Within the confines of the typical fringe categories, this play does not really fit within those boundaries. Specifically, the play jumbles worlds of comedy, absurdism, fantasy, realism, and AI drama into a melting pot. At 75-minutes long, the play is unique unto itself. Relationships are tested, contracts are made and a prop toilet is used (frequently). Insert potty humor here. No worries... the audience will not witness anything inappropriate. ... full review

I really had a blast at this show! I've never seen anything like it in my life (50+ years). At right around the 15 minute mark there was an incredible turn and I was sitting forward and completely engaged from that point on. So absurd and hilarious. I'm gonna try seeing it again. ... full review

A clever and thought-provoking production that uses humor and absurdity to tackle surprisingly relevant social issues. ... full review

A surprisingly layered and intelligent piece that uses humor, absurdity, and everyday situations to explore much larger questions about gender roles, care work, responsibility, and human relationships. What initially appears to be a simple conflict gradually develops into something much deeper and more universal. The production is both entertaining and thought-provoking, leaving the audience with plenty to reflect on long after the performance ends. ... full review

A thought-provoking and surprisingly funny piece that uses an unconventional premise to explore labor, family responsibility, and the future of caregiving. The show balances absurdity and emotional depth while raising important questions about technology and human dignity.... full review

Mason Ma's and Amy Dong's comedy spins it's wheels through two scenes set in the past before finding traction in a final scene set in a near future where AI has taken control of every part of daily life, including use of the commode. John Jiang's genial LAFD firefighter and father stands out along with Jinyao Zhao's Ashley, who gets what's coming to her when Artificial Intelligence attempts to dominate her life in the same way she tried to supervise those around her in previous scenes.... full review

This is one of my favorite shows of the festival that I've seen so far. A buddy of mine was telling me about this play at The Plunge. I bought a ticket right then. I would see this piece again.... full review

A series of relatable and even mundane experiences, elevated to art by humor and clever directing.... full review

A unique piece of theater with strong acting, set design, and tech. We follow Ashley Chu as she goes from a young girl to adulthood, and her constant battles with toilet etiquette. It is more than just toilet humor though, although there is quite a bit of that too. The show examines power dynamics in relationships, family humiliation, technological progress, and consideration for others. There is a nice theme of feeling like an outsider in another culture that I appreciated too.... full review

This is a wild play. I thought I knew what the play was about after watching ten minutes, and the first act was exactly what I thought it’d be, then the fact that there was a second act was surprising as was the time and location jump. But the thesis was intact. Then the third act the play took a turn. It was no longer a play about compromises when living with others. It all of a sudden became a cautionary tale about depending too much on technology and what that dependence might mean for us as a society. Frankly, to me, the third act is where the play took off and started to sing. I would have cut the first two acts into ten minutes total, just to give some context for the third act that really had something interesting and refreshing... full review