What I liked
Yen was very charismatic with the audience. For the amount of characters Yen portrayed, the majority of the show was smooth. However whenever a tiny mistake appeared, such as a wardrobe malfunction, Yen was able to make the crowd laugh and continue with the show. The size and mood of the theater seemed very appropriate for this one-person show and it created an intimate atmosphere that assisted Yen in allowing him to send his message. After the show I asked Yen how many shows has it been since opening night and he told me it was opening night! I was shocked by his response because of how smooth the whole show went.
What I didn't like
Due to the fact that this as a one person show with scenes containing around 3 difference identities + Yen himself, I a few times was lost as to whom Yen was portraying. The confusion occurred during the transitions from Paul Yen to the secret identities of the heroes; the speed of show may have also attributed to this, which is understandable because of the amount of content packed into a one hour show. This left me detached from the scene while I had to deduce and “catch-up”.
My overall impression
Before the show I knew whitewashing existed in the film industry but did not know much about it. Mainly because I didn’t think it affected to me but I learned that if anyone will make a dent in issue, the audience would have the biggest impact. I too grew up as an Asian American living a whitewashed life, so this was a very relatable experience. Hilarious, creative, and eye-opening. It was impressive to watch Yen integrate his message with the iconic stories of the most well known superheroes.
