Review: KING OF THE YEES at Profile Theatre

Can we understand ourselves without understanding the culture we came from? And does shaping the future require escaping the past or embracing it? Lauren Yee's delightful KING OF THE YEES, now running at Profile Theatre, is a hilarious and heartfelt look across cultural, generational, and familial divides through the lens of a father-daughter relationship. Yee is currently one of the most-produced playwrights in the country, and IMO one of the best (the best?). Any project with her name attached deserves attention.

KING OF THE YEES is a semi-autobiographical play about a playwright named Lauren Yee and her father, Larry Yee. They have a fairly normal relationship, meaning that they don't understand each other at all. Larry, who is celebrating his retirement and spends his free time supporting the political campaigns of Leland Yee (no relation), was born and raised in San Francisco's Chinatown and has deep roots in the community. He knows everyone, they know him, and life operates on a you-scratch-my-back-I'll-scratch-yours arrangement.

Lauren - who never learned Chinese, went to college on the east coast, and is now preparing to move to Germany - doesn't have the same sense of identity grounded in Chinese culture and community. But, when Larry goes missing, Lauren embarks on a journey to find him that requires her to reconnect with her heritage. Yee excels at creating individual stories with universal resonance, and she's as much a puzzlemaker as she is a playwright. KING OF THE YEES combines biting humor, keen social commentary, and the thrill of discovery into a touching and also wildly entertaining package.

I caught a preview performance, which is basically a rehearsal with an audience, so the show wasn't quite yet in its prime-time shape. But even so, it was excellent. Sandra Lee's performance as Lauren was spot-on - I could empathize with every exasperated look and embarrassed grimace. Madeleine Tran, who plays Actor 2 (a collection of roles), has been on my watch list since I saw her in Third Rail's gorgeous The Music Man earlier this year. Her earnestness and the way she physically embodies a range of characters make her a joy to watch. And Heath Hyun - well, I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll just say I wish my ancestors were half that cool.

KING OF THE YEES runs through November 20. More details and tickets here.

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