Made in China NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (97)
See it if enjoy puppet shows along the line of avenue q. very skilled presentation by talented crew
Don't see it if dont enjoy puppets shows or not interested in chinese history.
See it if you want to see a puppet show on par w/live action theater (acting, singing, video projections, it's got it all!). You like quirky shows.
Don't see it if you hate puppets, would be bothered by puppet nudity/brief swearing, or need highly realistic (no magic) resolutions to problems. Read more
See it if You enjoy something a little different, this is story telling via masterful puppetry. It is focused on human rights violations in China.
Don't see it if You want a tighter storyline. This requires some use of your imagination.
See it if Unexpected surprise. Great puppetry, seamless. Vibrant, funny and creative. Adult themes mashed with surreal plots.
Don't see it if You dislike puppets, profanity or "sexual" content. Read more
See it if like avenue Q, this is a for-adults-only puppet musical - but different in that the humans are shrouded so the puppets do the acting. GREAT!
Don't see it if you absolutely despise puppetry even when done masterfully.
See it if you enjoy clever (and often times masterful) puppetry, combined with humor and political/social commentary.
Don't see it if you need a dramaturgically sound script.
See it if you enjoy stories told with puppets about relationships with people of different cultures & human rights in China told with original songs.
Don't see it if you don't enjoy shows like Avenue Q or the Woodsman where puppets are the stars of the show and interact with people.
See it if you wonder what it would be like to have a Chinese neighbor.
Don't see it if you hate puppets. This is a puppet musical.
Critic Reviews (21)
“'Made in China' is a farcical, musical, phantasmagorical odyssey that, while hitting various political marks, remains engaging throughout its hour and 20 minutes...'Made in China' sometimes allows its preoccupation with puppet artistry, special effects, video projections, and the like to muffle its satirical objectives. That, however, is a small price to pay for a work of such creative imagination and performative skill. Best of all, of course, 'Made in China' was made in the U.S.A.”
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"A magical adult puppet show simultaneously hilarious and touching. Two beautifully wrought adult puppets go on a surreal journey, only to discover that the ensuing personal and political epiphanies have changed them forever...The puppetry is technically astounding in its smoothness and expressiveness. Furniture seems to float on and rotate in space, while the skilled puppeteers transform the two leading characters and their dogs into warmly expressive beings."
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"Despite some clunky chunks in the middle of its duration, 'Made in China' is wacky and thoughtful, a bit obvious in its message perhaps, but with a good heart, and it is generally pretty funny—no particularly easy feat considering its references to a dark reality...The songs range from amusing to tedious...For the most part, the show is a highly digestible affair that is visually sweet and deceptively disturbing."
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"Bright and smart, filled with humor and depth, we aren’t sure where it is going, but we sit back and trust that it will be a fun, wild ride into a thoughtful engaging world...It’s pretty inventive stuff, the journey this talented team of puppeteers takes us on. A tad simplistic at times...the work overall is illuminating. With numerous catchy and surprisingly humorous songs...An adult-aimed puppet show that is captivating and full of surprises and laughs."
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“’Made in China’ is a puppet story and a delightfully savage satire of the way Americans willfully ignore the complexities of China while benefiting from its repressive policies and mass production chain…There are plenty of clichés about China here; the pleasure is in watching them get sent up like Chinese firecrackers…The other pleasure here is watching the ensemble at work: eight puppeteers plus the Norwegian Minensemblet performing live.”
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“Wakka Wakka fulfills its mission ‘to push the boundaries of the imagination’ with this daring exploration of the relationship of the United States to China and of the underbelly of America’s current political climate...‘Made in China’s’ puppets often push the limits of propriety to express deep feelings and to raise rich and enduring questions. It does not get any more relevant than that."
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"The show is artful in avoiding a feeling of American smugness while criticizing the human rights record in China...With a tuneful score by Yan Li, 'Made in China' is so smart and entertaining in so many ways that one easily forgives the incoherent storyline upon which the satirical aspects are built...But what’s best about 'Made for China' is not the politics or the poignancy or the pornography, but the puppetry."
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“A cartoonish romp that packs a feisty punch. The humor Warnock and Waage infuse is colorfully ominous, helping to ensure the message is heard loud and clear. With the puppet nature of the narrative, when the story goes off the rails, it is forgiven. In a way…If logic and politically correct theater is more your speed, 'Made in China' is absolutely not for you. But if you like boundaries being challenged, Wakka Wakka has done so. It's not perfect but it's perfectly refreshing."
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