Butterfly” thrives on these unanswerable ambiguities, though the update attempts to clear up some nagging confusion.Ī few of the changes Hwang made were inspired by information that was discovered about the real-life characters in the years after the play was written. Is Song seducing Rene to extract diplomatic information from him to survive the Maoist regime clampdown, or is this a two-way fantasy? How much is Rene complicit in his own sexual delusion? “M.

And when Song touches Rene, it’s as if a feather has brushed lightly against his skin, tantalizing the need for closer contact.

When Song floats across the room, it’s as though a breeze has just gently parted the curtains. Song (the role originated by BD Wong, who won a Tony for his landmark performance) is the opera singer who, in becoming Rene’s private Butterfly, ensnares him in his imperialist fantasies of submissive Asian beauty.ĭressed in elegant dresses (as stately as they are sexy) by costume designer Sara Ryung Clement, Manabat’s Song impersonates what he knows a man of Rene’s background can’t help but desire. For a play that engages Puccini’s opera “Madama Butterfly” as much as this one does, this is a serious setback.įortunately, the gap in grandeur is filled to a large extent by Jake Manabat, who plays Song Liling. The more damaging issue, however, is Verbrugghe’s lack of operatic stature. Although I haven’t personally spoken with his character on the matter, I believe he’d prefer to be called Ron. Verbrugghe’s Rene seems like he has been to Europe maybe once - and hated it. But like Jeremy Irons, who starred in David Cronenberg’s 1993 film, he had an international air about him.

John Lithgow, who originated the role onstage, may not have been especially Gallic. Verbrugghe’s portrayal has a modest charm, but the character seems to have wandered in from an American TV drama, possibly NBC’s “This Is Us.” Lucas Verbrugghe, though an appealing and sensitive actor, is miscast as Rene Gallimard, the French diplomat who falls for the Chinese opera diva whose femininity is an elaborate charade. They hesitate to command the large stage - and he, she or gender-neutral-pronoun-of-your-choice who hesitates in “M. A few ensemble members seem at times to be under the impression that they’re performing in an intimate venue. The acting in Chiang’s production, however, has some weak spots, and the pacing is erratic.

David henry hwang's m butterfly