Review: The Stratford Festival's THE TAO OF THE WORLD is Hilarious and Moving

The final openings of the 2026 season of the Stratford Festival are upon us, and Thursday night, audiences at the Tom Patterson Theatre were in for a treat with the much-anticipated world premiere of Jovanni Sy’s THE TAO OF THE WORLD.

Described as ‘part restoration comedy, part Asian romcom,’ THE TAO OF THE WORLD opens with Singaporean socialite Arabella Flynn (Agnes Tong) explaining to the audience just how desirable her former lover – accomplished cricket player/singer/action star/etc. Edward Lim (Angus Lam) is and how she plans to marry him – only to find out that during quarantine, he fell in love online with her younger cousin Millicent Tan (Heidi Sy Damayo). Between Arabella’s self-focused desire to end up with Edward, Millicent’s complicated inheritance clause, the involvement of Lady Helena (Manami Hara), Arabella’s controlling Singaporean mogul of a mother, and a series of other dynamic and well fleshed out characters, many a plot is devised, foiled, and modified leading to a series of hilarious situations.

This inventive and laugh-out-loud-funny comedy - based loosely on famed William Congreve play THE WAY OF THE WORLD - keeps audiences guessing about what hijinks will happen next, while also surprising them with heartfelt moments and thoughtful messages.

In the programme liner notes, Jovanni Sy describes the fascinating way this play came to be – what started as a moral deconstruction of the ‘restoration play’ led to him writing his own modern version of one that take the time to put a spotlight on (literally) the people that this type of play typically relegates to the background or doesn’t acknowledge at all.

Sy, who is both the Playwright and Director, maintains a good balance, allowing for the play to be reflective but never preachy. It earns its serious moments, and shifts in tone never lead to whiplash. The play expertly maintains a state of flow – very appropriate given that the word ‘Tao’ is literally in its title.

THE TAO OF THE WORLD is an example of dynamic and engaging writing and direction paired with a stellar cast. Everyone is a standout, but Agnes Tong’s ability to portray a character who on paper is not particularly likeable, yet whose every word we as an audience cling to anyways, needs to be specifically mentioned. She commands the stage with her witty asides and her incredibly effective fourth wall breaks. Her character development throughout the play also feels organic and earned.

Setting this story in the midst of the pandemic (as society was emerging from lockdown) and approaching it like a restoration comedy is an absolutely fascinating and effective idea. Throughout the comedic chaos (which rest assured, is in delightful abundance), there are some key moving and poignant moments. At the time of this play, a mere 4 years ago, homosexuality was illegal in Singapore. In the play, the danger of being openly gay, along with the prejudice and ignorance among the elites, is highlighted, exploring the level of fear that some citizens constantly live with while others are able to enjoy an ignorant, privileged existence. That ignorance and privilege is also explored in a powerful moment when the ensemble members of the production – who have been portraying servants and staff throughout the play, take centre stage, and break the fourth wall in a simultaneously comedic and heartbreaking way to point out the absurdity of the concept of  ‘restoration’ when all that is restored is the cushy life of the upper class, while things never really changed at all for anyone else. Jennifer Villaverde and Nestor Lozano Jr. shine in this moment.

Other notable performances - just to name a few - come from Michael Man and Sara-Jean Hosie, who bring some of the biggest laughs and perfect physical comedy. Karthik Kadam and Derek Kwan are also highlights - both for their characters' love story, and in their individual performances.

There is an abundance of music in this play and it works incredibly well. I tip my hat to Composer and Sound Designer Michelle Cuttler.

The full experience of this unique production simply should not be missed.

THE TAO OF THE WORLD continues in Repertory at the Tom Patterson Theatre until September 26th.

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