The diversity in tone, content and execution was staggering. The evening began with veteran actor Norman Yeung’s first play “Pu-Erh.” Yeung’s explores that painful gap that exists between a father and his son. It is a gap that often exists in many families but made more pronounced by the linguistic and cultural gaps that exist in immigrant families. Yeung deftly walks this tightrope, with his actors trying to bridge the ‘language gap’ conversing in both broken English and Cantonese. While the words may not have been clear to non-Cantonese speakers in the audience, the intent surely was. Norman’s play will be staged at SummerWorks
later in August.

“Crash and Burn” the second play, was a Herman’s Head like look into a young woman’s psyche shortly after she is in a drag-racing accident. The work is a psychologically complex exploration of doubt and insecurity and how these demons undermine the best of us. Equally psychologically complex is first-time playwright, Stephanie Law’s, “Girls of Kensington.” Law, a first year Film and Video student at York University, surprised me with her work’s dark edge and depth and the end product will be quite impressive.

Christina Florencio’s “Jeepney” was probably the best received work of the entire evening and deservedly so. Actor Caroline Mangosing told the intertwined story of Simone, a five-year old girl and Simone later at 25 nearly perfectly. Florencio’s has written some hilarious, pop culture savvy and razor sharp dialogue for this play and she’s also found the right actor to deliver it.

“Jeepney” was a tough act to follow but David Eng’s “After School” did a commendable job. Eng handily explores the student-teacher relationship although occasionally the work sometimes went into the vapid territory of the after-school special.

The night ended with the sprawling play “Remember Lolo.” Byron Abalos’s story of a Filipino family, a prodigal son and an ailing grandfather, has a cast of nearly a dozen and could have very easily sunk under its own weight. But Abalos manages to marshall all of this energy and emotion into something funny, touching and impressive. “Remember Lolo” will also be staged at SummerWorks.

Fu-GEN has to be commended for bringing half-a-dozen playwrights and almost two-dozen actors and dramaturges to put on works that were not only entertaining but in often cases quite inspiring. But most importantly, the audience, ate it all up and left definitely wanting more. I can’t think of higher praise than that.