The World of Extreme Happiness

This inspiring world premiere from Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig, called “bruisingly funny” by Time Out London, celebrates the perseverance of the human spirit.

When Sunny is born in rural China, her parents leave her in a slop bucket to die because she’s not a boy. She survives, and at age 14 leaves for the city, where she finds work in a factory and attends self-help classes in pursuit of a coveted office position. But when Sunny’s attempts at self-improvement lead to calamitous consequences for a fellow worker, she questions the system she’s spent her life trying to master. Savage, tragic and desperately funny, The World of Extreme Happiness is a provocative examination of individuals struggling to shape their destinies amid China’s dizzying economic transformation.

A co-production with Manhattan Theatre Club