Five Finger Exercises at Berkeley Rep

Anybody who’s ever had - or been - a kid can probably remember those mix-and-match picture books with pages split three ways: a set of miscellaneous heads, assorted midriffs and a selection of feet or tails. The joy of it…

In Ashland, ‘Henry VIII’ = Wally I

Euro-trash academics can equivocate all they please, but we Americans have long known what to make of England’s king Henry VIII: a debauchee and serial wife-killer. So it may come as a surprise to see a considerably cuddlier Henry portrayed on Ashland’s…

Mad Cow vs. Sacred Cow

The rural hamlet of Chikka Arasinakere in the South Indian state of Karnataka is run by an ox named Basava. Not exactly landlord or mayor; more like an oracle. All major decisions, public or private, are put to Basava and…

Shakespeare Agonistes in Ashland Première

After nearly half a century of bringing Shakespeare’s works to West Coast audiences, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) this year presents The Bard in a new way - as a character, rather than an author. The world-première of Bill Cain’s…

Winners, Losers, Swimmers and Players

Looking for Louie, Part 6 of 6

This is the house that Trinity built: a sprawling, ruined heap of terracotta tile and Chinese-baroque curlicues, a 1920s Oriental version of a gaudy McMansion. The dilapidated shambles in front of us is the…

Searches and Seizures

Looking for Louie, Part 5 of 6

For 6,783 miles Mei-lang and I have traced Trinity merchant Louie Chow’s homecoming route back to his native province of Canton, China (see previous installments). Now we have come to this massive banyan tree, evidently the central…

Homing In on Trinity’s Huaqiao

Looking for Louie, Part 4 of 6

Shrimp dumplings, taro crescents and “phoenix claws” (braised chicken feet). Sticky-rice tamales, radish cake and egg tarts, all washed down with countless pots of chrysanthemum tea - RMB 65 (about $8) for two.

At this…

Descent from ‘Gold Mountain’

Looking for Louie, Part 3 of 6

To get to see Mr. Lam, you have to stand for 45 minutes in the “U.S. Citizen Services” line at the American consulate in Hongkong - mercifully shorter, at least, than the three-hour…

Annals of Oriental Exclusion

Looking for Louie, Part 2 of 6

Sleuthing out bio-data on California’s 19^th century Gold Country Chinese was not exactly in Javier Garcia’s job description when he went to work at the National Archive 20-odd years ago. In fact, he was hired…

Joss House: ‘To Get Rich Is Glorious’

Looking for Louie, Part 1 of 6

Now that our Governator has sentenced just about all of California’s State Historic Parks to the budget axe (see sidebar Running Out of Joss), you North State history buffs might do well to visit…