It’s a telling tale in which a young actress from China brands herself as an orphan and human rights victim to land a lead role on Broadway, meanwhile her parents smuggle one million dollars in cash from Shanghai to buy her an apartment in Manhattan.
‘A Deal’ was developed as part of “New Text – New Stage”, an Ibsen International project for the development of new writing, and made its controversial debut off-Broadway in 2017, defying the odds to win international acclaim – and multiple awards.
Directed by Chinese-born director Shiya Lu for her fledgling Flying House Assembly theatre company (with support from the University of Sydney), it also stars Paul Chambers, Suzanne James and Katherine Nheu (both North Rocks), with design by Victor Kalka, sound design by Luna Y. Pan, stage manager Alex Liang and production crew Amy Sole, Simone Wang and Oliver Walton.
Catch ‘A Deal’ from Wednesday to Saturday, August 22-31, at Chippen Street Theatre, Chippendale, with tickets $27-$32.
Bookings: trybooking.com/BDFXB
The season includes a workshop on dramaturgy and cross-cultural storytelling on Wednesday, August 21, 2-6pm in Sydney University’s Woolley Building (limited spots, by application only).
Plus there will be a public forum on Contemporary Chinese Theatre and Migration on Tuesday, August 20, 5-9pm in Sydney University’s Wallace Theatre.
Bookings and more info at flyinghouse.art
Dark tale exposes culture clash
STARRING Granville’s Susan Ling Young and Parramatta’s Katherine Nheu and Shi-Kai Zhang, ‘A DEAL’ is a dark comedy that confronts the issues faced by immigrants as they seek to find their place in a new country; it confronts the clash between the values of Chinese parents and their new world offspring.