Three Women of Swatow is a compelling, engaging, darkly entertaining story of family duty and murder. The show explores generational trauma and the will to do whatever is necessary to survive. It is also an emotional story of the love between three generations of Chinese-Canadian women as they confront the violence in their lives, past and present. This daring show packs an unforgettable punch with an amusing splash of the macabre.
The grandmother (Julie Tamiko Manning) is taking care of her granddaughter (Qianna MacGilchrist), a teenager with a secret social life. She gets a call from her distressed daughter (Shiong-En Chan) who lives in a different home. Upon arrival, the grandmother discovers that her daughter has killed her husband. Without judgment, she immediately proceeds to help get rid of the remains in the bathtub. As the women discuss the predictament, they also bring up the past in which the grandmother had murdered her abusive husband and made her daughter help dispose of the body (parts). An earlier memory reveals how the grandmother was brutally forced by her mother into a marriage with a man she did not want. The cycle of violence has continued, consciously or not. Secrets kept between the three women are revealed.
The grandmother is a forceful, determined woman who will protect her family from abuse by any means. The daughter is traumatized from the murder of her father, abuse from her husband, and her shocking, and perhaps unintended, act. The granddaughter is very bright, independent, and caught between loyalty to her family and living her life freely. The grandmother stresses that Swatow women are fierce, and must be strong. Yet they are beholden to the expectations of their culture. It seems the only way out for them is violence.
In spite of all the darkness and carnage (the murders occur off stage), the play is very funny. The dialogue is quick and cutting. The love these women have for each other is undeniable. Their frustrations with each other and the madness of the situation make for very gripping and humorous tension. The scenes depicting the characters’ pasts move effortlessly, revealing the sadness and uncompromising obedience to filial duty.
The performances are outstanding! The actresses do double duty portraying the younger versions of the characters, including past matriarchs. They give each portrayal its own distinctive quality, showing the strength emerging from tragedy.
The sets are terrific, giving ease of movement between the rooms in the homes. The evidence of the murder is presented with shocking but great bloody effect. The sound is excellent too, giving added moments of humour when the tub occasionally clogs up. Ooops!
Trauma has a way of imprinting itself into unconscious actions, repeating itself into subsequent generations despite efforts to escape. But is the answer to violence more violence? It’s something to think about while cleaning the carving knives…
Photo Credit: Andrée Lanthier
Three Women of Swatow. Written by Chloé Hung. Directed by Sophie Gee. Show continues to November 24, at the Centaur Theatre, 453 St-François-Xavier, Old Montreal. For tickets call the box office at 514-288-3161 or go to www.centaurtheatre.com
