AustLit

'The remarkable Catherine Văn-Davies (Constellations) stars in this electrifying one-performer show that delves deep into the mess of corporate America and lays bare the brutal truth of what it means to ‘climb the ladder’.

'In the high-powered and super competitive offices of a top-tier management consultancy firm, our unnamed protagonist is struggling to stand out. Unlike many of her colleagues, she doesn’t descend from money, nor does she find the long hours and crushing workload a breeze, like the others seem to. She also happens to be running from a dark past. When an opportunity to prove her mettle and escape the office arrives, in the form of a distractingly handsome (and married) senior partner, she jumps at the chance.

'In American Signs, playwright Anchuli Felicia King (The Poison of Polygamy) delivers a scorching and contemporary work that will have you simultaneously moved and hanging from the edge of your seat. Darkly comic, raw and daring, American Signs is an impeccably written portrait of a complex character and an opportunity to see some of this country’s most exciting young theatre-makers at the top of their game.' (Production summary)

'Love, betrayal and cross-continental adventure

'Set sail with this epic gold rush drama that sprawls across Qing Dynasty China, to Victoria’s nineteenth century goldfields, and the laneways of Melbourne’s Chinatown. One of Australia’s most exciting, versatile, and provocative playwrights, Anchuli Felicia King returns to STC to uncover this historical story of love, sex, adventure, and two worlds colliding.

'Originally published in 1910, The Poison of Polygamy was Australia’s first ever novel by a Chinese Australian author, Wong Shee Ping. It tells the story of Sleep-sick – an opportunistic young man from Guangdong who has his sights set on amassing a fortune in Australia’s goldfields. He leaves behind his faithful but long-suffering wife Ma (Merlynn Tong) and sets out across the sea to try his luck.

'Along the way, he charms and cheats an eccentric cast of characters until he meets his match: the seductive and cunning Tsiu Hei (Kimie Tsukakoshi). Will Sleep-sick keep his promise to Ma? Or are the temptations of wealth, beautiful women and opium too much to bear?

'Take a look into a slice of Australian history that is rarely seen on stage. Also featuring Ray Chong Nee, The Poison of Polygamy is a frontier story, a morality tale for the ages, and a rollicking, horse-drawn escapade.'

Source: Sydney Theatre Company.

'Something unspeakable happens at an ethical eating startup.  Five people give their accounts of why it happened. Bianca, the social media manager, developed a macabre addiction; Josh, the CTO, had a drug-induced vision; Sasha, the CFO, lost $80,000 in an email exchange; Hannah, the boss, was a total work of art; and DJ, well, he’s just DJ. But who is telling the truth, who is telling their version of the truth, and who is evading the question?'

Source: 25A.

'It’s 2006 and less than 10% of China is online. The Chinese government looks to Silicon Valley to protect their citizens from the unfiltered chaos of the internet, resulting in the construction of an epic firewall called the Golden Shield. With American companies actively working to build it – stifling political debate in the process – are they responsible, or just doing good business? If they can be prosecuted for working against the promotion of democracy, should they? And if dissidents start disappearing, who should be put on trial?

'With interweaving storylines from across the globe, Golden Shield is an urgent legal drama that explores the personal and political ramifications of corporate greed in the global economy. A trail-blazer of contemporary theatre, Anchuli Felicia King finds fascination in the space where technology and tradition meet for this piercing, funny and extremely timely new play.'

Source: Melbourne Theatre Company.

'Whitening cream is the bestseller for cosmetic firm Clearday. When a leaked racist video goes viral, the millennial management team scramble to deal with the fallout. Casual blackmail, allegations of corruption and a clash of philosophies fuel this dark comedy about toxic ideas and the complexity of Pan-Asian relations.'

Source: National Playwrighting Festival program.