We had a group of 15 Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boaters go out to dinner at Wild Ginger restaurant then attend the “Cowboy Versus Samurai” play, produced by Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre.  The play is performed at Firehall Arts Centre, due to the impending City of Vancouver civic workers strike. Our group really enjoyed the play – which itself is multi-cultural, full of Chinese-Canadians, Caucasian-Canadians, Mixed Race couples and politically and community active individuals – All topics related to the play's content.

Cowboy Versus Samurai places three Asian-Americans in a small town in Wyoming, forced to deal with the racism of being a non-white minority.  They explore their identities, through a Love Quadrangle where the two Asians must compete with a White Cowboy for the affections of the only Asian woman in town.  Hilarious situations occur, because one of the Asian fellows secretly aids the letter writing campaign of the White cowboy, a la Cyranode Bergerac or the Steve Martin movie “Roxanne.”  It's a great situational set-up that allows identities to hide each other like costumes or envelopes.  Well… actually they are like love letters or “scratch and win” cards that hint of hope and pleasure while unopened, but can only reveal truth of happiness or disappointment when opened or scratched.

A more comprehensive review to follow…. with pictures!