Disarranged Marriage

15 responses to “Disarranged Marriage”

1. A delightfully heartwarming experience.

2. If you’re any flavor of queer and come from an immigrant family, there is such a resonance in this show.
   An elegant execution of trying to find the balance of who we are inside and outside the norms placed upon us by our heritage.

3. This may very well be my favourite Fringe play of the year. A few things you learn when you’re a queer Chinese kid living in diaspora: (1) that your family and community will probably hate this part of you (or, at the very least, want to keep it hush-hush); (2) that there is so much strength and love to be found through communal solidarity–filial, platonic, or otherwise. I think this play does a good job at emphasizing both, and how being both queer and Chinese brings with it precarious and fragile dynamics with family, and even with others who find themselves in similar situations, but that it is also precisely this filial piety (that our parents often think we lack, lol) which finds a new, more liberated expression in queer life.

   The hope this play tries to impart on its viewers is not a naive one; it is well-aware of the material risks that come with being openly queer and treats this not merely as an individual task of living authentically, but instead foregrounds the necessity of others in coming to embrace and know oneself–warts and all. I love the way this play ends, and I could really feel the care and attention to detail put in by all those involved. Could not recommend this play more!

4. This show is packed with so much heart! As a queer child of an immigrant mother, this story really touched me. The characters are so rich and complex, and it is wonderful to watch their growth over the course of the story. I loved the drama of the open ending. The writer/director and cast really draw you into the characters and get you invested early. Stories like this matter so much for queer and BIPOC communities. Amazing job everyone!!

5. What resonated with me most was how familiar the family and cultural dynamics felt. Growing up in a Chinese family, I’ve seen how common it is for parents to see marriage as one of life’s biggest milestones. The pressure to get married, have children, and even go on arranged blind dates is something many people around me have experienced.

   Another aspect that really resonated with me was its portrayal of our generation—especially queer people—as we navigate self-discovery and figure out what we truly want in life. It also captures the challenge of staying true to ourselves while balancing the expectations of family, partners, and the people around us.

   Overall, this was a heartfelt and authentic production. Rather than being preachy, it uses humor to explore complex themes like identity, family expectations, and cultural traditions. It made me laugh, but it also left me with a lot to think about.

6. Yes, Jocelyn, please do write a “Part 2”. Your gifts as a theatre artist merit the space to grow even more.

7. I love me some dry humor personally. This show had a lot of that through certain characters like Rory for example who was annoyingly pessimistic but funny at the same time. The message was a poignant portrayal of the push and pull that queer children of immigrants face not wanting to disappoint their parents but also wanting to be themselves. A view that has only recently started to be explored with shows like Sort of on CBC Gem but in the millennial generation. The conflict definitely exists in both millennial and Gen Z lives but this is the first depiction I’ve seen of the conflict in full and not just as a sideplot.