Cambodian Ghosts Haunt Los Angeles Stages

There are two very fine plays playing in Los Angeles right now that have Cambodian-themed plots. Both deal with the remnants of the Khmer Rouge genocide in Cambodia - one set in the Long Beach Cambodian immigrant community circa 2003, and the other set in Phnom Penh in 2008.

"Year Zero" at the Colony Theater in Burbank is the play situated in Long Beach, California. It focuses on a teen brother and twenty-something sister, both dealing with the recent death of their Cambodian-born mother who immigrated to the US after fleeing the ravages of the Khmer Rouge. The sister is a student at Berkeley, and returns home after her mother's death to pack up her things and find a home for her brother. She reunites with a neighbor boy (skillfully played by actor Tim Chiou), which leads to problems with her Berkeley based boyfriend. Much of the tension in this well written drama flows from the unseen mother's scars from her time in Cambodia, and her attempts to protect her children from the tragedies that befell her. Penned by young playwright Michael Golamco, this production displays the considerable talents of this promising scribe and is trenchant and moving. I could note some faults in the direction - scene transitions are too clunky and more urban-sounding music between scenes would be much more appropriate and energetic- but there are so many worthwhile things to be gained from seeing this show that the best I can do is recommend catching it before it closes on July 3.

Coincidentally, another great new play with a Cambodian theme has set up shop (also playing through July 3) at the intimate Skirball Kenis Theater at the Geffen Playhouse. Entitled "Extraordinary Chambers," by David Wiener, this Cambodian-set drama examines an American husband and wife couple who visit Phnom Penh to enable the husband to close a business deal with a Cambodian businessman with lots of questionable behavior in his past. The plotting is intricate and intriguing, although the dialogue is too earth-bound and could use more lyrical flourishes. Nevertheless, the production put together here by director Pam MacKinnon is top-notch and stunning, and the acting is superb.

Seeing both works in close proximity to one another enables one to compare and contrast the plays and obtain deeper meaning from each. In both works, the viewer is forced to confront the dangers that result from suppressing a tragedy laced past. But neither work offers up easy answers to avoid those dangers, and both playwrights display a yearning for their characters to find some form of equilibrium to make life in Long Beach and Phnom Penh endurable in the face tragic past events.

These two terrific plays are among the best works seen on Los Angels stages in recent times. Do yourself a favor and see both.

Finally, a short note on Austin, Texas based troupe Rude Mechs' "The Method Gun" now playing at the Kirk Douglas Theater. This meta-theater exercise had me completely befuddled for the first 75 minutes of its running time. But strangely, almost magically, everything fused together in the beautifully choreographed final minutes of this unique work. This non-linear, at times silly, at times absurd, unique work, is worth catching if you have patience and an open mind on what theater should be.