BFE

by Julia Cho

Cute blondes are disappearing from her strip mall-covered suburban town, but fourteen-year-old Panny is more concerned with surviving adolescence. Raised by an unbalanced mother who thinks the perfect birthday gift is plastic surgery, and a shy uncle who spends most of his time painting miniatures, Panny is afraid she s hopelessly different. Thanks to a fortuitous misdial, she strikes up a phone friendship that seems to be the connection she s been longing for. However, she soon finds that out in BFE, a.k.a. "the middle of nowhere," anything can happen and usually does.

Genres: Plays, Drama, School, Theatre

15 pages, ebook

First published January 30, 2006

Reviews

[Lukas · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great play that needs to be produced today. I saw this play a few years ago on the best play lists, among titles such as "The Pillowman" and "Hamlet." I'm currently doing research on it since my university is doing it next Spring. I am happy that they took my suggestion.

This play analyzes isolation that exists in bum fuck nowhere towns. What I find really interesting is the Asian American perspective on this. These identities feel out of place, but they find "love" or what they lack in their life in unconventional ways. I relate to this play. A lot. It's simply amazing what Julia Cho has captured and shown to American audiences about Asian Americans. I am so excited to work on this play.

[Just a Girl Fighting Censorship · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast-paced play about beauty and identity. The main character Panny a 14 year-old Asian American girl was an interesting and relatable character and the audience is quickly invested. There are a lot of themes covered, so much so that I still need some time to process them. Themes of race, family, coming of age, relationships, love, and mental illness.

This play was wonderfully engaging building fully realized characters in a very short amount of time due to fantastically realistic and subtle dialog. I love the clever juxtaposition created between Panny and her Korean penpal. There are some absolutely heart-wrenching moments as well that make this story memorable.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unbearably sad. Cho writes with a quick clarity that unfolds plot points so they inflict maximum damage. Surprising and inevitable in turns.

[Rocío · Rating 3 out of 5]

Otro libro del master que necesito que me expliquen

[Tai · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of the most painfully honest books I've ever read, that hit too close to home.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I’M A TOTAL AMATEUR THESE ARE JUST RANDOM THOUGHTS NONE OF THIS REALLY MATTERS *

It does the “something sinister is happening and you know this because of little snippets that happen in each scene” thing very well.

Particular moment that stands out to me is when the mom tells her daughter that she doesn’t need to worry about being taken by the serial killer because all the victims have been pretty. Gives an insanely clear picture of their dynamic lmao

One on hand, I didn’t really get a great connection with any of the characters. On the other, way bigger hand, I’m a straight white man so I’m not really the target audience, so all of this should be taken with a huge grain of salt. I obviously don’t understand all the under-text that I’m sure is much more impactful to someone immersed in Asian-American culture.

[A.T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's something about this play that pains me. Is it the realistic interpretation of societal beauty that plagues everyone who isn't white? Is it the murders of young girls? Is it the tragic ending where nobody gets their "happy ending"? Or is it the main characters realization that she isn't pretty and giving into that belief by changing her looks. Reading this play, I wanted to cry and scream, but I could do neither. BFE touches a bit too close to me and makes me feel more hopeless than I did at the beginning. Though I say this, BFE is singlehandedly the best play I've read in years and is one I would most definitely want to see on stage. All the characters in this play are realistic and show the genuine struggles of humans in this modern era.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this play. Unfortunately I just found it wacky and lacking in substance. I felt like it skimmed over so many issues and so many relationships that I really didn't emphasise with or connect with characters on any level. Maybe it's a play that is best read slowly and absorbed so I will try giving it a 2nd go.

[Samantha Brounstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Julia Cho is able to grasp the ever desolate landscape that is being a 14 year old girl on the outside of Caucasian-Blonde Beauty ideals. Though there are a few lost symbols in the piece, the main character, Panny, is able to mildly explain or completely jump over the meaning of those lost articles. All in all, it is a gripping play that is both tragic and comedic in it's own right.

[Cece · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED READING THIS IN PLAYWRITING!!! Was one of the only ones that stood out, that ending though!

[dkaufman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny, sad, poignant

[MJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

God this play was brilliant. Amazing characters, quick pace, enough humor and heart to keep me going even with the dark undertone creeping through.

[Claire]

** read for school

Very sad.

[Regan Owen · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting coming-of-age story. Wanted more from it.

[maddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was cray

[JCSmith]

4spp, this was good

[Kelsey Flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gonna need 4 business days to process this

[Abby Wentworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

very unsettling, little confusing but i liked it

[Sandra Amaya Garcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me ha costado un poco entender completamente esta obra, pero deja muy clara la importancia de la herencia cultural y cómo esta nos define como personas. Es una crítica evidente a la sociedad y a los cánones de belleza establecidos. Además, resalta la importancia de mantener conexiones con el entorno y cómo, si no encajas dentro de las expectativas sociales, puedes enfrentarte a una vida de soledad. Pero al final del día, igual esta vida no duele ni da tanto miedo.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really touching play that examines loneliness and how we might hate or have doubt in parts of ourselves. An American girl of asian descent, her mother, and her uncle try to connect to someone (different people) and the tragedy is that they do, but then they lose them tenderly. However the deepest heart-wrenches of the evening come in the form of a wig and some bandages. To say more would spoil the delicateness of the play. Read it.

[Becca · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Everyone do that. She get in, they talk, if they do not like each other, she get out and he go and find another girl."

Nobody does that in Korea..

[Jim Phetterplace · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read that leaves a strong impression. I would love to see a production.

[Elize · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short play that hits a lot of themes. Panny had a very blasé tone about serious stuff, but it seemed like it might be her way of separating herself from what was happening.

Reading challenge: a play

[Cara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crazy good. Would love to see a performance.