Colonialism is Terrible, But Pho is Delicious

World Premiere



STARTS NOV 4, 2022


By Dustin H. Chinn
Directed by Oanh Nguyen

STREAMING
November 29
December 4

RUN TIME
95 minutes
There will be no intermission

Taking its inspiration from two viral incidents around cultural appropriation and food [Chef Tyler Akin’s how-to video for Bon Appetit, “PSA: This is How You Should Be Eating Pho,” and Dan Pashman of The Sporkful’s suggestion that you could improve bibimbap using a bundt pan], Dustin Chinn says he “followed the rabbit hole” and wrote “a triptych about the ownership and authorship of food following the journey of Vietnamese noodle soup.” This biting comedy spans centuries, continents, and cultures in its three-part vignette structure. Beginning in 1880s Hanoi, the capital city of French Indochina, where a Vietnamese cook finds herself in the kitchen of aristocratic French settlers. Then in 1999, a century later, in Vietnam, where American diners get their first taste of the local cuisine. Then finally, in present-day, gentrifying Brooklyn, where the simmering argument around culture, ownership, and authenticity comes to a roaring boil.

"Incisive, hilariously spiky, and delectable — Dustin Chinn's Colonialism is Terrible, but Pho is Delicious satisfies every appetite." — Mina Morita, Artistic Director of Crowded Fire Theatre


 

Aurora’s world premiere production is supported by the Edgerton Foundation New Play Award.



Post Show Discussions

Please join us for a discussion of Aurora's production of Colonialism is Terrible, but Pho is Delicious by Dustin Chinn, hosted after the show on the select days listed below. Discussion host, Dawn Monique Williams, may be joined by the actor, director, community members, and or local storytellers.

Friday, November 11

Tuesday, November 15

Wednesday, November 23

Thursday, December 1



Artistic Director's Letter and Dramaturgy for Colonialism is Terrible, but Pho is Delicious
Please enjoy these excerpts from our show program! (Click through the links below)

Artistic Director's Letter to the Audience by Josh Costello

Whose Taste Matters by Natalia Duong, Dramaturg