M. Butterfly

Before reading this play I had never read or seen the opera on which it was based. Renee mentions at the beginning of the play that it would be neccesary to understand the opera and I think he wasps rely right although I could appreciate the story on its own. The storyline is very risqué and sexual it seems. Renee begins seeing Song, who convinces Renee that he is a woman for 20 years..which seems a little wild to me. In Chinese theatre it is custom for males to play females onstage. I suppose Song must have been a pretty good actress to have fooled Renee for so long. We find out that Rene has been telling government and diplomatic secrets to Song over the years which becomes his downfall. Once he realizes everything that has happened, he commits suicide in the form of seppuku which I suppose seems fitting to end this Asian inspired play.