M Butterfly with 14 year olds?

[mtfamily]

Posted: 10/30/17 at 9:49pm

While I've read these boards for many months, I've never posted but I have appreciated all the information gleaned from these boards in planning our family's NYC Broadway trips.  I 'm hopeful that I can get some information now from those that have already seen M Butterfly about the content to help us plan our next NYC trip.

We will be in NYC in mid-November and I planned to see M. Butterfly with my 14 year-olds as we enjoyed seeing Jin Ha in Hamilton in Chicago and I'm a Clive Owen fan.  The M Butterfly website says it is appropriate for 13+ but telecharge advises 16+ due to language and nudity. 

Not to get into too many details (to avoid any spoilers or offending anyone), but can anyone comment on what this advisory refers to who has seen it?  I called telecharge for some guidance but they weren't able to give me much more information than what was on the website.  The telecharge rep  mentioned that Jin Ha's performance involves nudity and that there was some graphic sexual language content.

My children have seen Book of Mormon and Avenue Q, but the telecharge rep gave me the sense this production involves more mature/graphic language and images than those other productions.  I'm just trying to get a sense of what the production entails and what the advisory is referring to so that I can determine whether this would be appropriate (which I understand is a subjective call on my part).

Thanks in advance for any guidance or information you can provide.

Updated On: 10/30/17 at 09:49 PM

[ChildofEarth]

Posted: 10/30/17 at 9:55pm

It depends on your 14 year old - not sure I would have been ready for this. Complete, full frontal nudity for Jin Ha as well as two women showing their breasts.

The discussion of sex is quite frank and in what some would consider vulgar terms.

IMO, for fans of Clive Owen and Jin Ha, this is a great show. But I would heed the 16+ unless your child is very mature.

[mtfamily]

Posted: 10/30/17 at 10:13pm

Thanks so much for the quick reply and info ChildofEarth.   It sounds like this production would be a bit much for them at this stage.

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 10/30/17 at 10:26pm

There's full frontal nudity as well as a rather graphic visual aid on how exactly Song Liling was able to uh, dig a hole where the pole was. 

Idk, you know your kids best but if they liked Jin Ha because of Hamilton then I'd say there are better choices for them. If you want a mature, thoughtful play, I'd recommend Torch Song. 

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 10/31/17 at 12:28am

Yeah, this is definitely a play for grownups only.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 10/31/17 at 3:27am

poisonivy2 said: "There's full frontal nudity as well as a rather graphic visual aid on how exactly Song Liling was able to uh, dig a hole where the pole was.

Idk, you know your kids best but if they liked Jin Ha because of Hamilton then I'd say there are better choices for them. If you want a mature, thoughtful play, I'd recommend Torch Song."

TORCH SONG's entire second act concerns a man getting f*u*c*k*e*d up the ass in a gay bathhouse. Granted, the action is merely mimed by one actor, but I don't recall anything in M. BUTTERFLY that is remotely so explicit.

***

Back to MB, would somebody like to explain the graphic visual aid that helps us understand Song's deception? I know the play well and saw the original production twice. I don't remember such a graphic show-and-tell being employed... or necessary.

[Valentina3]

Posted: 10/31/17 at 4:04am

"but I don't recall anything in M. BUTTERFLY that is remotely so explicit"

I don't know what was in the original production (am actually reading the play's text later this week when my local library finally has it), but the 2017 production which I saw earlier this month has very explicit scenes. Song Liling's asked to describe in the French courtroom how they had sex, and how he was able to dupe Gallimard into believing he was a woman. "Penis", "labia", "lube" are words he used very graphically. Even the sex scenes, while kinda-sorta tasteful (almost always a blackout), would give me a pause when it comes to bringing young teens to watch this play. Not to mention, there's a topless scene at the beginning of Act 1 when Gallimard is jerking off to a porn magazine.

I agree that Torch Song's bathhouse scene is probably a bit problematic as well but it's played up for the comedy. It depends on how mature the 14-yr old is, really. Or how frank/open you are with them regarding basic sex ed.

[jbird5]

Posted: 10/31/17 at 8:21am

I think the language is more of an issue than the nudity. The topless scene is pretty brief and Jin Ha’s nudity is non-sexual. The explanation of how he fooled Rene was not in the original. It’s graphic, but I think 14 yo should be able to handle it. Especially if they’ve seen BOM. There are a lot of positives to the show re the culture and gender issues. And Clive is terrific. You may want to weigh that against the negative.