By Matthew Wexler
On the third Tuesday of every month, three Chinese-American women and one Chinese immigrant (the distinction matters) gather for an affinity group of a powerhouse financial investment firm. But in Alex Lin’s new play, Chinese Republicans, now playing Off-Broadway, “affinity” might be a stretch.
F-bombs abound in Lin’s contemporary take on success (happiness is relative) in the workplace, as seen through the eyes of four Asian women. Phyllis (Jodi Long) has weathered the white patriarchy and has the battle scars and Louboutins to prove it; her protege, Ellen (Jennifer Ikeda), who, early in her career, changed her name from Ailin to assimilate; Katie (Anna Zavelson), a Gen Zer questioning how much of her values are worth sacrificing to get ahead; and Iris (Jully Lee), employed on a precarious H-1B visa, and the most forthright in her understanding of Chinese language and culture. (At one point, she tells Ellen, “Your Mandarin is so bad. It sounds like diarrhea in your mouth.”)
A workplace dramedy already haunted by its own timeline
Set in 2019, Chinese Republicans already feels nostalgic in some ways, as DEI efforts continue to buckle under Trump’s second term, despite analysis that proves inclusion and profits go hand in hand.
Over the course of several months, they gather at the Golden Unicorn (set design by Wilson Chin with effective projections by Hana Kim) to bicker and banter. The plot rides on their various trajectories—Phyllis is essentially demoted to a consultant position as Ellen preps her protege for a fast-track promotion. The resurfacing of a sexual harassment incident further polarizes their views.
Director Chay Yew tackles Lin’s play head-on, avoiding performative elements to subtitle or westernize the women’s interactions in Mandarin or Cantonese. Similarly, Katie’s distribution of hóngbāo and gifting of a Pixue jade bracelet convey a compelling cultural identity.
But the “Republican” part of Chinese Republicans feels shoehorned into its structure, with references from Roosevelt to Reagan. And stylistically, when the action moves to a storage room to prep for a company-wide event, the slapstick physical comedy undermines the world that Lin has created.
When Chinese Republicans trusts its characters, it’s electric. When it doesn’t, even the Louboutins can’t carry it.
Is ‘Chinese Republicans’ worth seeing?
3 out of 5 stars
Alex Lin’s Chinese Republicans delivers crackling dialogue and compelling characters, but can’t resist undercutting its own intensity.
- Roundabout at Laura Pels Theatre, 111 West 46th Street, New York City
- Notable performers: Jennifer Ikeda, Jully Lee, Jodi Lang, and Anna Zavelson
- Running time: One hour and 35 minutes, no intermission
- Performances through April 5, 2026
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