A young woman’s journey to uncover her roots leads her to a world where fables breathe life, truths flow like the ripples of the river, and strangers hold the key to her destiny.
Kai, a young queer Asian woman raised in Canada, discovers a life-altering truth on her birthday when her mother passes away. Drawn to the river and the memories her mother once shared, Kai embarks on a transformative journey to China. Along the way, she meets three fateful women whose lives intertwine with hers in unexpected ways and encounters spirit animals who guide her toward an enigmatic reckoning with her roots. As she navigates grief and relationships, Kai uncovers a profound understanding of life’s deeper truths. This lyrical tale intertwines myth, memory, and identity, inviting audiences into an evocative world where the lines between reality and the imagined blur.
Speaking on her inspiration for the play, playwright Diana Tso shares:
“When faced with the loss of my mother and her presence of unconditional love, I searched for ways to hold onto my roots, navigating on a path of forgetting and remembering and affirming she is part of who I am always. As a writer and artist, my stories shine light on women and their resilience. The themes of daughters and mothers, China’s one-child policy, and their lost daughters connected with me—voices that needed to be heard, women who are the carriers of our ancestry and our future.”
流源夢/ Liú Yuán Mèng is the Chinese translation of the title of the play which carries the poetic meaning "The Dream of the Flowing Source," which suggests a dream or vision related to the continuous flow and origin of something. The combination of 流 (Liú, "flow") and 源 (Yuán, “source” or “root") gives a sense of both movement and foundation, while 夢 (Mèng, "dream") adds a layer of mystery, possibility, and introspection. This phrase feels like it captures both the journey and the deeper, almost mystical connection to one's roots or origins, blending the themes of river and dreams.
Keywords: women, daughter and mothers, China's one child-policy, identity, LGBTQ, heritage, adoption, friendship, family
Premiered in the Tarragon Theatre Extraspace, Toronto ON, March 2025
Genre: Drama, Play with Music
Acts: 1
Run time: 90 minutes
Suitable for students 14+
Content notes: Contains references to parental death and suicide.
Cast size: 5 actors
Female roles: 5
Trans/Non-Binary/Gender Non-Conforming roles: 1
Other roles: 4
Casting notes: Each character also plays a spirit animal role except Kai, the protagonist. The spirit animals can be also played by other actors if the production wishes to have a larger cast
Dora Mavor Moore Award Nominations 2025:
Outstanding Costume Design: Ting-Huan 挺歡 Christine Urquhart
Outstanding Scenic Design: Ting-Huan 挺歡 Christine Urquhart
Outstanding Projection Design: William Yong 楊漢源
REVIEWS:
“Combining elements of theatre, dance, and puppetry, Carried by the River is visually spectacular with a story that’ll touch your heart…”
“The elements of dance, shadow artistry, song, and magical realism make Carried by the River a remarkable experience. Kai can talk to animals, and these animals are portrayed beautifully by the other members of the cast; the physicality, particularly of the Tiger and Deer, is incredible. There’s a real flow to the text, and yet you never quite know if you’re in a state of dream or awake with Kai.”
“A stunning all-female cast is the heart and soul of Carried by the River...Showing not only its delights but also its dangers, Carried by the River grounds these women in the muddy banks of their beloved homes. The notion that one day they’ll turn into the river, become part of its ferocity and its stillness, unites the women: it’s their red thread.”
~Janine Marley: A View From the Box
“The play teaches a lot, about culture and the different ethnic groups and traditions in China. But it’s truly a universal tale of love, yearning for family and connection in a world, where naturally women are the water that gives life to everything.”
~Leah Eichler Theatre Review (Esoterica Magazine) @leaheic
"Red Snow Collective‘s compelling and connecting new play, Carried by the River, projects itself into a sea of complicated caregiving and emotional maternal love. Written with an abundance of love by playwright Diana Tso (曹楓), the engagement feels draped in symbolism and culturally significant movement."
“It’s an emotionally engaging journey, like a woman falling ever so slowly from the sky and landing in the warm waters of home, with the sole purpose of finding where she belongs and who are the people she wants and needs to have in her life.”
~Ross: Front Mezz Junkies and Canadian Reviews
For production photos and reviews visit: www.instagram.com/redsnowcollective
