My Own Private River Phoenix

A poignantly hilarious story that needed to be told and needs to be heard.... full review

I don't think you can come out of this and not fall in love with Ai. She tells her story in a way that is laugh out loud funny while still delving into very real issues. Her experience of moving to America is one that everyone should hear. Entertaining, heartfelt, and unique, it's definitely worth a watch.... full review

Very well done. She spoke from a very vulnerable place and it was easy to connect with her story. Great work :)... full review

I enjoyed how Ai took the audience through her very personal story with all of the comedic moments and the drama. Everyone has a story to tell, and she did a great job of weaving it together through the multiple characters that she portrayed. ... full review

This show was thoroughly entertaining and engaging from start to finish-- there were no boring or wasted moments. The humor was extremely high quality and extremely clever (and often good naturedly sarcastic). Beyond being entertaining, the story made many poignant points about human relationships and cultural gaps... and the ultimate message of empowerment came across solidly. ... full review

Set against the backdrop of childhood fantasy meeting adult reality, this is a highly personal yet relatable account of self-discovery; a coming to America story marked by vulnerable fragility and the incredible strength of unyielding determination. ... full review

I saw this show earlier this year at the LA Women's Theater Festival and again at the Fringe. It was even better the second time around and I would highly recommend to go see it. Ai Yoshihara is very entertaining and funny as she tells about her experiences first coming to the US from Japan. Her dark sense of humor constantly surprises and keeps the audience on its feet. The different characters she plays are all very funny too. And besides all the humor, there are even some emotional parts too. It was also interesting to hear about her experiences and impressions as a young Japanese woman living in the US. They were quite funny and definitely not what I expected. All in all, this is an unexpectedly unique and fun show. It's only playing a c... full review

I really enjoyed the show. Ai tells her journey from a true modern Japanese perspective. Makes one wonder how America is portrayed to foreigners. Her performance is entertaining, touching, funny, courageous, and honest. She speaks from the heart and offers a unique point of view. Being from Japan, one could relate to many parts of her story. It was wonderful to see someone portray the Japanese experience accurately. Ai's courage and honesty in her one woman show is inspirational. Highly recommend.... full review

This one woman show was very entertaining and clever. I thought the way she executed each character was creative and believable. Her story of immigrating to the US was relatable even if you've lived in sunny CA all your life. Serious subject, but with a lot of humor. I highly recommend this performance. ... full review

Amazing show, stunning performer, true emotions displayed stunningly in addition to hilarious characterizations and humor...! This was also exceedingly well-directed from someone who has done many of these. Every aspect seemed portrayed to its fullest realization.... full review