4th Play - The Two Kids that Blow Shit Up by Carla Ching
Sun Mee Comet (Diana) and Sherwin Resurreccion (Max) in Theater Mu’s 2016 Minneapolis production. Photo credit not found.
The title of this play has made me want to read this one for a very long time! How much fun is it?! Is it weird that I kind of want to blow some shit up?
Summary: “As kids, Max and Diana meet on their parents’ date, then are kicked out of the house so their parents can get it on. They are forced to play together even though they aren’t really that fond of each other. Through over two decades of their parents’ tumultuous relationship of getting together, breaking up, getting married and then divorced, Max and Diana are perpetually forced together and become the most unlikely of friends. They see each other through their own marriages and divorces, rehabs and spin-outs, career rejiggerings and epic life fails. But when they actually fall into each other, will they lose the only family they’ve ever known? A play about falling in and out of love with your best friend.” New Play Exchange
Laura’s thoughts in brief: I will say that the title was misleading; although there was a tiny bit of blowing things up, it was minimal. Must have been a metaphor, hmm … That being said, this play reminded me so much of Rajiv Joseph’s Gruesome Playground Injuries. Both plays are about two characters in scenes that jump back in forth in time. They’re clearly meant for each other in some capacity, but never have the timing quite right. This one is a little less dark (just a little - despite the blowing up, no injuries that I can recall), but both plays are delightful. I don’t mind the jumping around in time - I think that’s a lot of fun in a play. I love the physical opportunities that gives the actors. The play does not specify that the characters need to be Asian, but there are some small references in the play that make that make the most sense. Based on the reviews that I read, those productions were cast with two Asian actors, which seems right. The best part about this play is the relationship between the two - they feel like siblings, best friends, lovers … they fight and they need each other. When they’re apart they’re not quite right. We all know a version of this story. Obviously it takes two strong actors to pull off, but I know a few that would be great in this! I don’t think it’s really my story to tell, but I definitely hope to get to see it one day!
READ MORE! Here’s what others had to say about productions:
https://www.talkinbroadway.com/page/regional/la/la445.html
https://stagescenela.com/2016/08/the-two-kids-that-blow-shit-up/
https://compendiummpls.blogspot.com/2016/09/love-two-kids-that-blow-shit-up.html