The Heart Sellers – Seattle Rep

I do enjoy a small, intimate show. Yes, I love extravagant sets and big dance numbers, but I have room in my heart for sparer productions with strong character studies. And I really love a nice surprise when I walk into a show blind. (These shows can go either way.) I was pleasantly surprised and pleased by the The Heart Sellers, which takes place in a small apartment over the course of a Thanksgiving evening in 1973. The name of the show comes after the Hart-Celler Act of 1965, which removed immigration quotas and eased immigration for people from East and South Asia into t he US. It is immediately apparent that Luna and Jane have very different personalities, albeit they are both young, married immigrants. As they get to know each other over a Thanksgiving evening, with lots of wine, we learn about the loneliness and cultural loss that goes hand in hand with the better opportunities immigrants are seeking. And we experience the blossoming friendship between these two women who really aren’t that different.

The Heart Sellers is a sweet show that takes place in the past but is as relevant as ever. The leads provide very strong performances and we can’t help but root for Luna and Jane and hope their future as BFFs is everything they imagine it will be.