FringeNYC 2013: I AM A MOON

A closeted popstar, a secret fan, a body full of hickeys, a window without curtain... together weave a darkly humorous tale about finding the beauty of our ugly side. The play is tributed to the lated Japanese porn star Ai Iijima.

Official production website
Show details/ticketing at FringeNYC

Venue: The Lynn Redgrave Theater, 45 Bleecker Street

Review by Cory Conley · August 12, 2013

According to playwright Zhu Yi, her new work I AM A MOON is about the experience of shame. Specifically, "the shame of being overweight, the shame of liberated sexuality, the shame of physical disability, the shame of physical scars, the shame of being a victim of sexual harassment, and the shame of aging." That might sound like a rather grim evening, or at least an indulgent one. But instead, by lingering on the inner vulnerabilities of its isolated characters, this lyrical play celebrates the beauty and pain of living inside your own body.

It's a bit difficult to sum up what happens, and I suppose you'd have to see it to really know for sure. The script is divided into several extended monologues, punctuated by occasional brief encounters. We begin with a quiet man (known simply as The Man) who lives in an apartment without curtains, as he details the history of his sexual awakening. After that, we drift over to Angela, the woman living across the hall, who speaks of this "weird Asian guy" and then admits that she watches his (solo) sexual encounters all the time. From there, Angela heads to the bus stop, where she bumps into her rock star idol, Justin Wilson, and coyly denies being a fan (we soon learn of her undying worship.) Soon enough, our attention moves to Justin, who has a body full of hickeys and a secret of his own. These interludes--- which also eventually feature a man named Jimmy and a fruit-seller named Mei--- are interlaced with a recorded interview of a Chinese astronaut headed for the moon.

Each of the actors successfully fills his or her time in the spotlight, especially Kurt Uy as the Man, Victoria Tucci as Angela, and Seth Moore as Justin. (Angela and Justin's imaginary courtship is particularly well-acted.) The direction, by Marios Theocharous, is peaceful, while Yi-Chung Chen's lighting design is crisp. The theater at 45 Bleecker is well-suited to this particular story, and by the end of the show, you might be surprised to discover that you were not, in fact, on the moon.

Zhu Yi's play, which was reportedly censored four times in China, does require a bit of patience. The speeches have a detailed novelistic quality that can sometimes invite zoning out. At the performance I attended, there were several walkouts--- a bafflingly disrespectful gesture for a performance at FringeNYC, of all places. But if taken seriously, and given its proper investment, I AM A MOON lands as a compassionate portrait of good and lonely people that you won't likely forget.

Preview: Interviews with Artists from I AM A MOON

We're asking artists from each show to answer questions about themselves and their work to help our readers get a detailed advance picture of the festival:

Many Faces of Theater · Seth Moore (Other)

Why are theater festivals important?
Festivals are a meeting of the minds and a melding of styles. In one, relatively small place, you suddenly have hundreds of artists in the same field present... some veterans, some just emerging into light, all with different outlooks and approaches to the theater. so in a way, it's like a scientific conference, where practitioners of different disciplines listen and watch all the experiments that have been happening in their field over the course of the year, and can draw their conclusions on what works and what doesn't, and take from that. Which, of course, makes the state of the art, as it were, that much richer.
Are there boundaries as to what kind of theatre you will take part in?
Never. What's the point of that?
Are audiences in New York City different from audiences in other cities/countries where you’ve worked? If so, how?
Of course! NY audiences are wonderful and terrible creatures. When it comes to the theater (in stark contrast to rest of the country), they've really seen it all. So, their approval is worth more than most, however their attitude coming in can be tricky. As opposed to far more open world of chicago, where audiences come in expecting some brotherhood and comradery... NY audiences have a tendency to come in, sit down with their arms crossed and go "impress me."
Who are some current indie theater writers/directors/creators whose work really excites you now?
Writers: Zhu Yi, of course. Tommy Smith, Nick Jones, Young Jean Lee, Taylor Mac, Jason Williamson, Matthew Smith Directors: Ed Sylvanus Iskandar, Sarah Krohn, Elizabeth Carlson, Rachel Chavkin, Becky Wright, Paul Takacs, Awoye Timpo, Lee Sunday Evans, David Cromer (does he count as indie?) Groups: Panoply Lab, Exit Pursued By A Bear, The Bats (for their #Serials escapades),
Which character from a Shakespeare play would like your show the best: King Lear, Puck, Rosalind, or Lady Macbeth -- and why?
Rosalind. She's a romantic and not afraid of a little gender-bending.

Journey to FringeNYC · Victoria Tucci (Actor)

Who do you play in this show, and what was your key to unlocking this character/these characters?
I play the character of Angela. For me Angela was one of those rare characters who when I first read the script I immediately felt that I knew who she was. For me the key to this character has been facing the parts of myself that are closer to Angela that I would like to admit and finding ways to live in the parts of myself that I normally keep locked away from the rest of the world.
What are some of your previous theater credits? (Be specific! Name shows, etc.)
Andre/Tusenbach- The Three Sisters Experiment (Wow Theatre Cafe) Romeo- Juliet & Romeo ({Your Name Here} A Queer Theater) Angela - I am A Moon (3LD) Queen Anne - With the Assistance of Queen Anne (Strawberry Festival) Jane - Dora & Jane (Fresh Fruit Festival)
Why did you want to be part of FringeNYC?
FringeNYC is such an exciting time to be in the city. It's so great to have affordable access to such a wide variety of work. I'm so excited to finally be apart of the FringeNYC community.
What was the most memorable/funny/unusual thing that has happened during the development and rehearsal process for this show?
One of the most memorable things for me has been building a scene in the show that's actually a bit of a surprise for the audience so I won't spoil the surprise. You'll have to come see the show and ask me about what moment it is after :)
Now that you’ve played this role, which Shakespearean role are you ready for: Hamlet, Lady Macbeth, Juliet, or Puck?
Puck

All About My Show · Zhu Yi (Writer)

Complete this sentence: My show is the only one in FringeNYC that...?
Was produced 6 times (43 performances in total) in 2 languages in the US, China and the UK over the past 2 years. And is the only one that got censored 4 times in China. :(
What do you think this show is about? What will audiences take away with them after seeing it?
Everyone is a moon - beautiful bright ball isolated in the sky - until you come closer and the craters appear. The play explores the ways Eastern and Western cultures try to construct beauty and sexuality through shame: the shame of being over-weight, the shame of liberated sexuality, the shame of physical disability, the shame of physical scars, the shame of being a victim of sexual harassment, and the shame of aging.
Why did you want to write this show?
I was partly inspired by the life of Japanese pornographic star Ai Iijima, who passed away in 2008 due to pneumonia, and the social changes she brought to Asian society. Ms. Iijima was one of the first generation of porn movie stars in Asia when the internet didn’t exist and premarital sex was still considered taboo. Her autobiography Platonic Sex revealed her life as an adult video actress. The book’s 2000 publication shocked Japanese society, but surprisingly made Ms. Iijima accepted and respected by the mainstream as an artist and a human being, instead of simply sex object.
Who are some of the people who helped you create this show, and what were their important contributions to the finished product?
The artists in this production are from six different countries: America, China, Cyprus, Poland, Taiwan and Philippines. We each bring a part of our culture into the play when we work on it. The play is actually about the ever present search for connection and love. It was fascinating to witness the disagreement, the confrontation, the acceptance and the connection happening along the way.
Which character from a Shakespeare play would like your show the best: King Lear, Puck, Rosalind, or Lady Macbeth -- and why?
Lady Macbeth - The stories in I AM A MOON are about desire, jealousy, wound, the ghost of our past, and the beauty of our ugly side.

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