Michael's Blog about Soo-Jin's Saving Mom

AFFIRMATION

A lot of great work! It's fun to watch this piece develop!

The dramaturgy was very interesting. I hope it was beneficial to y'all. I especially liked the part where we really analyzed the reverend and his motives in his molestation. The discussions about the complexity and complicity of molestations after watching the TV scenes were very thought provoking and powerful.

Music as a way of thinking about home was insightful as well.

I like the development of the characters. There has been a lot of progress in their becoming more complex.

I liked the scene my group read last week for the molestation. It was interesting to me when Harriet seems a little complicit in the molestation. That she may be playing along with it until it goes too far really intrigued me and it seems to open up a lot of possibilities for Soo-Jin to play with what happens next--to both of them. Very good!

Things that pop:

"Church customers"
Mom knitting a sweater for Reverend's wife with cheap yarn.
Harriet kissing back, then freaking out when Reverend puts hand up her shirt.
"home to me"
Mom calling her husband "Harriet's Father"


RESPONDERS ASK QUESTIONS

What is the effect of the molestation on the Reverend and the Mom's relationship?
What is the effect of it on Harriet and the Mom's relationship?
What do you want us to feel about the Reverend?
Whose play is this?
Who is saving Mom? And from what?
What does Harriet want/need?

I don't want this next question to sound culturally insensitive, but I'm going to ask it anyway: In your opening stage directions you have a comment that the actors are speaking Korean (although the play is in English). Is it wrong for me to hear it with a Korean accent/cadence? There are times when this seems to come through very strongly in the language (even when read by actors who have little or no knowledge of Korean) and I really like this. In my mind, it makes it very interesting and rich. But I don't know if that is your intent or if it is my extrapolating from this stage direction and putting my own stereotypical interpretations on it. I mean this as a compliment, but I'd like some direction as to intent. So if I'm wrong here, I can turn that off.


OPINIONS

It's hard to like the mom. It's hard to like the reverend--but somehow a little easier. I'm not sure I know who the protagonist is--I assume it's Mom because of the title, but there are times I don't feel that. I want to be more conflicted about her; to understand how she got to this cold, hard place.

(All of my comments should be taken with the understanding that I am bringing old knowledge of the play, with work in Mon Night Lab, with your reading and with stuff we saw last week. Right now, I'm not exactly sure what's in and what's out--and that's ok. So some of my questions/opinions might be caused by not having seen a certain part of the play in awhile.)

You have two huge issues in the play: molestation by a trusted family "member"/preacher and the 20-year relationship of the reverend and the mom. Both are germane to your story as it is now, but I find myself wanting to focus on one or the other; have one pull my focus; have the other feed into it.

I like the complexities of the two couples and their faithfully cheating members. Or rather, long-term emotional partners--with good and bad jeong. I wish for more about the two other members of the foursome. It was interesting to hear more about the Reverend's wife today. I think these two could add a lot to the shades of grey.

I find the size of the church a little too small. It's only the two families. I know it's a dying church, but if this drama is only playing out amongst the two families, it seems to hold less threat of discovery, complicitness of parishioners, etc. Thirty, forty, fifty still seems very small to me, but not so small that it almost counters the effect of him being a reverend.

I'm wondering if this play has evolved beyond it's title. I'm not sure who is trying to save Mom anymore. This may be more evident in a complete read through, but it doesn't seem so much about saving her, as it is her story. Or if it is, I'm wondering what I'm missing in that regard.

I think the mother has evolved a lot as a character, would like to know more about her. Same with the reverend.

Soo-Jin and Cary have both done a lot of great work here. I enjoyed the last two classes immensely. I think I learned a lot about your characters, but want to know more where I noted. And that is a good thing. If I weren't intrigued, then there'd be problems--but I'm interested. Congratulations!