Broken Panda

Broken Panda is a well-written play dealing with a broken marriage. This is a serious subject, but it is presented in a hilarious and entertaining manner, masterfully directed by Leigh Kennicott and wonderfully acted by Mandy Dunlap, Johnathan "Doc" Farrow, Esther Austin, Hui Ying Wen, and Morris Nash. Go and se it!... full review

Wow, just saw Broken Panda written by Amy Tofte and performed by an amazing cast. Watching a marriage disintegrate could be hard to sit through, but watching this marriage try to fall apart against all odds was hilarious. Directed by Leigh Kennicott, the cast jumped backwards and forwards in time from the first meeting with a counselor to dissolve a marriage, to the moment the young couple met and one realizes how hard it is to keep a marriage and love alive. Everything changes, but if you look hard enough, and try hard enough, the love survives... Great show. A must see. ... full review

I thought the play was cleverly written with some innovative direction. It dealt with relationship issues with a lot of laughter. The performances were solid and funny with Johnathan "Doc" Farrow being a particular stand-out. I don't want to give anything away, but you will enjoy the collaboration between Esther Austin and Morris Nash. Hui Ying Wen's performance is quirky and funny. Very enjoyable all around!... full review

I laughed out loud a lot during Amy Tofte's BROKEN PANDA. The play examines the issue of mixed race couples like Groucho Marx would play doctor with an otoscope. Doc Farrow and Mandy Dunlap click--they volley like they've been working comedy together for years. Tofte provides some great dialogue gags that are delivered with precise timing, thanks to director Leigh Kennicott and the exceptional cast. Hui Ying Wen as the sullen counselor wields deadpan and one-word deliveries like a slapstick. Dunlap rocks the physical comedy (look for chair with handcuffs), while Morris Nash and Esther Austin as a diabolical and horny research couple add a splash of zesty farce. Farrow's comedy uses his large and muscular size as a simmering threat, yet one a... full review

What a satisfying, smart, well-acted show! Go see it!... full review

So so so very proud of Amy Tofte and the cast and crew who brought her newest work to life. An impressive study of relationships and what it takes to make a commitment work. I'm also impressed with her ability to put the names of some of my favorite animals into the titles of her plays!... full review

It's torture enough dealing with a dissolving marriage, but for the unwitting couple at the center of this lively play, emotional pain will soon become all too physical. Alternately funny and probing, Broken Panda is full of surprises, and the dialogue is sharp throughout. The excellent cast keeps the energy high. Check it out!... full review

Relationships are hard. The dizzy excitement of blossoming love cannot sustain and there are thousands of environmental factors that would keep it from growing UNLESS you can manage to keep them at bay. This funny and moving story examines the plight of a couple about to give in to those myriad destructive forces. Amy Tofte's writing is confident and clever as she guides her characters, Jay and Ellen, through a mediated divorce, supposedly the easy way out of their marriage. But, they soon discover the "easy way" isn't always the cleanest way and their situation devolves to hysterically farcical levels. I was thoroughly entertained and on the edge of my seat wondering what would become of these two.... full review