There are many recent plays and movies that investigate the immigrant experience. Most scout the important but familiar terrain of fear and pain resulting from being in our country illegally. The Heart Sellers takes on far less explored territory by rolling back to the early 1970s. The two young women involved — one from the Philippines, the other from Korea — have been able to move to the United States under the provisions of the Hart-Celler Act. This law made major changes to our immigration policy, making it easier for people from Asia and other areas previously discriminated against to come here for work. In the case of Luna and Jane, their husbands are both in residential rotation at the local hospital. But the wives have had to leave their dreams and most of what had given their lives meaning back in their home countries. When fate brings them together in the supermarket on Thanksgiving, they make the most of the opportunity to find connection in what has been a very lonely world.
With an adept ear for dialogue, playwright Lloyd Suh treats us to a fabric of rich detail while keeping the conversation flowing. His examination of the cultural norms of 1970s America is both funny and touching. Luna and Jane’s exchange is at first realistically halting as they each employ their second language in search of common ground. Scenic and costume designer Junghyun Georgia Lee sets the perfect tone, literally putting the two women in a tiny box that encloses the stage. Luna’s apartment is dressed in wild and warm shades and the character herself appears in bright pink. Matching that colorful energy, Jenna Agbayani’s Luna is buzzy and overly familiar, high on adrenaline from her daring step of inviting Jane into her home. In contrast, Judy Song, making her North American stage debut, keeps Jane as fact-based as her earth and sky outfit would suggest. Only when she changes into Luna’s flowered “house clothes” does her imagination soar.
Echoing the characters’ testing of their lives’ constrictions, director May Adrales has created something of a dance for Luna and Jane within the small space. The pacing of the piece is as zestful as the women’s search for friendship. With its mixture of viewpoints and high level of intimacy, The Heart Sellers is a great choice for a hybrid production. The On-Demand version was filmed at the Huntington’s Calderwood Pavilion in Boston on December 6 and is beautifully produced and edited by Kligerman Productions.
Though set during a November holiday, The Heart Sellers is a delightful treat for the end of a tough year and a hopeful start to the new one. It is as warm and sweet as the yams the women devour with joy and gusto. $30 digital tickets are still available at https://www.huntingtontheatre.org/whats-on/the-heart-sellers/ and can be used any time before January 6, 2024. Playback is smooth and easy, with quality sound and image. Runtime is 95 minutes.
The Unforgettable Line 