In LCT3's new drama, Henry (Aaron Yoo) is an amateur sleuth and true crime aficionado who sets out to solve the ultimate case: the unsolved murder of his father. More…
From the show:
Using his memories and the family stories he was told as a child growing up in San Francisco, Henry begins an investigation through a labyrinth of secrets and deceptions that leads him to question those closest to him. THE HEADLANDS is a contemporary noir that explores the stories we tell ourselves and the fallibility of the mind.
See it if Want to see plays by & about the Asian-American experience, enjoy mysteries about one’s background,
Don't see it if Not interested in Asian-American takes told in a noir style or stories about trying to find one’s roots, open ended plots
See it if interesting aesthetic as story channels pulpy detective novels & video screens evoke film noir; humor leavens; solid cast
Don't see it if takes implausible left turn at end; ultimately w/o crisp plotting or deep insights into behavior of son/family, lets you down
Also Let's play the "name game". The title "The HEADLANDS" refers to (1) th... Read more Read less
See it if Like cautiously walking through a murder mystery in a long standing San Francisco fog for the picture to emerge.
Don't see it if Slower murder mysteries aren't your thing. Entertaining but cold narration style made it harder to feel the emotional side of the drama.
Also Diversity: almost all Asian American cast (6 of 7)! Asian American pla... Read more Read less
See it if You like Family drama that is not what it seems to be. Intriguing writing. Great use of live camera projections. Memories are bad narrators
Don't see it if 90 minutes with no intermission. You don’t like mysteries or family secrets. You don’t like bare sets. Character breaks fourth wall
See it if U enjoy a great ensemble cast solving a cold case mystery from 20 years ago with romance and a thought provoking story.
Don't see it if U don’t like mysteries, prefer more linear story lines or musicals.
See it if You like mediocre and cliched whodunnits and don’t mind something that is obvious from the start:
Don't see it if You are an aficionado of crime thrillers and expect an interesting, well written play.
Also The whole plot is pedestrian and the acting is amateurish. You can see... Read more Read less
See it if you're a fan of true crime or mysteries and/or of Christopher Chen's work; support diverse stories in the theatre, love San Francisco
Don't see it if you're in the mood for something heightened and uber-theatrical, a "big show."
See it if You enjoy watching cold case mysteries on TV, this should be your cup of tea. Good production values but acting is less than convincing.
Don't see it if Expect depth in the story of a young man discovering family secrets. Underdeveloped characters give little to think about beyond “who dunit”
See it if You love a good noir detective story; you love a well-written, nuanced drama with a fresh take on family secrets
Don't see it if you like big staging, big casts, music; need a happy ending
See it if you’d enjoy a tight, engaging kinda who-done-it that smartly raises profundity moral and cultural dilemmas.
Don't see it if you're disinclined to pay close attention.
See it if you enjoy the current "sleuthing" trend of solving mysteries. You enjoy fine acting by Asian-Americans and a tight ensemble cast.
Don't see it if You hate projections. You dislike family dramas or mysteries.
Also This is a refreshing show and very entertaining.
See it if you want a twist on film noir genre and to dive into what feels like a visual staging of a personal crime podcast.
Don't see it if you want something traditional. Also don't see this if you hate monologue-based plays b/c the lead character is narrating the entire time.
See it if you want to see a mainly Asian cast and if you're open to an ever evolving mystery
Don't see it if you are sensitive to loud noises as there are occasional bursts of sound
See it if You like mysteries involving characters who are usually underrepresented in theatre.
Don't see it if You do not like mysteries, noir, or plays.
See it if you’d like to see a stage full of interesting, flawed, engaging characters, even if their stories are confused.
Don't see it if you like your jigsaw puzzles to, ultimately, present a picture: This one never comes together.
Also I didn’t find the combination of murder mystery & family psycho-drama ... Read more Read less
See it if Excellent acting by all, particularly charming performance by Aaron Yoo as Henry. Interesting depiction of current and past time.
Don't see it if you want something lively, this is quiet and somewhat slow. Ultimately story is not that compelling.
See it if Great use of video and lighting that enhance the story; interesting topic and characters; very well acted by all; worth seeing
Don't see it if don't appreciate minimalist staging, sets & costumes; being an amateur childhood/adult sleuth or an orphan can have serious consequences.
See it if you want to see a modern story about a Chinese-American amateur sleuth investigating the mysterious death of his father 10 years before.
Don't see it if you don't like murder mysteries or plays that depend heavily on projections.
Also The mutability of memory plays an important role in telling a good sto... Read more Read less
See it if Young Chinese adult decides to investigate father's death which occurred several years earlier. Excellent performances by multinational cast
Don't see it if There is nothing to dislike about this play. The story is well told and performed.