Best Bets: San Francisco Playhouse Presents David Henry Hwang's 'Chinglish' / by David Hwang

They were the darlings of social media some years back: those public signs in China that included awkward English translations ("Beware of Missing Foot," "Slip and Fall Carefully!"). Their fascination has faded with time (and perhaps with the realization that they were only funny to Americans who expect every other country to speak English), but one lasting remnant of value is David Henry Hwang's play "Chinglish," which is enjoying a successful and well-received run at San Francisco Playhouse. The play centers on an American businessman who heads to China hoping to secure lucrative contacts for his family sign company. Of course, the prospective clients he meets don't always understand him very well, and what unspools is an insightful and comedic clash of idioms, expectations and motivations. But don't take our translation, go see for yourself. SF Playhouse's production, directed by the talented Jeffrey Lo, runs through June 10 at 450 Post St.; performances are 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $15-$100; go to www.sfplayhouse.org.

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