REVIEW: Is There Work on Mars? -

©️Is There Work on Mars?

Is There Work on Mars? tells the story of a young Chinese woman, Xue (played by Faye Yan), who is applying for a work visa to immigrate to Mars. What begins as a futuristic job interview quickly folds into a reflection on the real-world challenges faced by Chinese people living and working in the West.

The interview sequence is staged with two chairs, as Xue runs between them while answering questions that grow increasingly invasive. It soon becomes clear that the Mars backdrop is only a thin disguise for something far closer to reality. Xue is rejected from working as a lawyer on Mars for not being a “native,” reflecting a situation all too familiar to many Asian immigrants: competence is never enough when prejudice dictates the rules.

From here, the performance shifts into memories of childhood - rigid classrooms, pressures of academic success, and the disorientation of not fitting into either Western expectations or Chinese stereotypes. These scenes broaden the piece beyond employment to explore cultural alienation and personal identity.

The play’s strength lies in its themes, which are important and underrepresented on Western stages. Yet the production itself feels somewhat uneven. Its structure could be tighter and the audience participation does not fully integrate with the rest of the piece. The ideas are stronger than their execution, leaving the piece more thought-provoking than theatrically satisfying.

Is There Work on Mars? is bold enough to put the struggles of an outsider in front of audiences who may not have considered them before. While the production has its limitations, it succeeds in starting a conversation - perhaps the most crucial step toward change.

★★★

For more information, please visit: https://fayeyan.com/performance/isthereworkonmars

Credit:

Writer & Performer: Faye Yan
Sound Design: Pannavich Weswibul & Charlie Nelson
Dramaturg: Joanna Mathews
Production Support: Pannavich Weswibul
Image Design: Pannavich Weswibul
Poster Photographer: Amy Lauffer Neff
Show Photos: Edline Hsieh & Maggie Zhu
With Special Thanks to: Ricky Sim, Nomakhwezi Becker, Sol Santana, Jessica Zhao, Yuyi Ye, Caro Lutz, Runxuan Yang, Lily An