Trieu Tran (Photo by Randy Wong-Westbrooke)
Reviewed by Molly McLean
Skylight Theatre Company and Plain Wood Productions
Through June 14
Iris Liu and Trieu Tran (Photo by Randy Wong-Westbrooke)
Ascent tells the story of Qian Xuesen, the Chinese rocket scientist who was deported from the U.S. during the McCarthy era. The play was written by the late Henry Ong and is directed by its original dramaturg, Diana Wyenn.
As a biographical play of an inspiring figure, Ascent has great potential for depth and breadth. Though individually all the actors are terrific, the characters’ dialogue is that of someone who knows history, substituting it for the sweaty drama that we go to the theater to see.
From a technical standpoint, the production’s beauty abounds: The stark provocative lighting by Joey Guthman enhances the emotional and temporal shifts. John Zalewski’s sound creates ominous, mournful moods. The costumes by Mylette Nora are sleek and effective at communicating era and archetype — the two ensemble members (Russell Edge and Jorge-Luis Pallo) shift character often. They mostly show their characters through adept physical and vocal shifts. As Qian Xuesen, Trieu Tran has a couple of monologues (especially in conjunction with Randy Wong-Westbrooke’s scenic design and Yuki Izumihara’s projection design) that are transcendent.
This is a very well-made production, but it raises the question of what this play could have been if the playwright, who passed away in 2018, had been able to sign off on the final draft.
Skylight Theatre, 1816-1/2 N. Vermont Ave, Los Feliz. Thurs.-Sat., 8 pm, Sun., 3 pm; thru June 14. skylighttheatre.org Runtime: one hour and 40 minutes
