Little Emperors 小皇帝

Production still for "Little Emperors". L-R: Alice Qin, Diana Xiaojie Lin. Photographer: Tim Grey

Little Emperors 小皇帝

By Lachlan Philpott

09 February 2017 – 26 February 2017 Beckett Theatre

Malthouse Theatre,

New Writing Theatre World Premiere

‘Little Emperor Syndrome’ is a term used to describe the behavioural time-bomb created by China’s One Child Policy. Introduced in the aftermath of the Cultural Revolution as a way of curbing population growth, an entire generation was raised without siblings. Pampered, entitled, and bucking against China’s proud tradition of filial piety, the children of the world’s next superpower were born bearing the weight of their parents’ expectations.

In 2016 China’s One Child Policy officially ended, and to mark the close of an era, we’ve teamed up with award-winning Australian writer Lachlan Philpott and one of Beijing’s most innovative directors, Wang Chong, to explore the stories, secrets and aspirations of the children of a radical political experiment.

Set in both Melbourne and Beijing, and weaving between Mandarin and English, this rich and revelatory new play cuts through our assumptions to take us deep into the lives of a generation of secret and only children.

★★★★
"HEIGHTENED, VISUALLY STRIKING DOMESTIC MELODRAMA"
— The Age

"ASPIRING AND AMBITIOUS, THEATRE DIRECTOR WANG CHONG IS ON A MISSION TO OVERTHROW THE DATED STAGE TECHNIQUES THAT DOMINATE CHINESE THEATRE TODAY"
— The Global Times

Production still for "Little Emperors". L-R: Liam Maguire, Yuchen Wang. Photographer: Tim Grey
Production still for "Little Emperors". Alice Qin. Photographer: Tim Grey
Production still for "Little Emperors". Yuchen Wang. Photographer: Tim Grey
Production still for "Little Emperors". L-R: Diana Xiaojie Lin, Alice Qin. Photographer: Tim Grey
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Production still for "Little Emperors". L-R: Liam Maguire, Yuchen Wang. Photographer: Tim Grey

Production still for "Little Emperors". Alice Qin. Photographer: Tim Grey

Production still for "Little Emperors". Yuchen Wang. Photographer: Tim Grey

Production still for "Little Emperors". L-R: Diana Xiaojie Lin, Alice Qin. Photographer: Tim Grey

Cast

Creatives

Lachlan Philpott

Lachlan Philpott

Playwright

Emma Valente

Emma Valente

Lighting Designer

Romanie Harper

Romanie Harper

Set Designer, Costume Designer

James Paul

Sound Designer

Mark Pritchard

Mark Pritchard

Dramaturg

Harriet Gregory

Harriet Gregory

Stage Manager

Wang Chong

Wang Chong

Director

Matilda Woodroofe

Matilda Woodroofe

Assistant Stage Manager

Andre Vanderwert

Andre Vanderwert

Audiovisual Sequencer

Hongyi Tian

Hongyi Tian

Translator

Acknowledgements

A Malthouse Theatre production presented in association with Asia TOPA: Asia Pacific Triennial of Performing Arts. With producing support from Ping Pong Productions. Little Emperors is supported by the Sidney Myer Fund and Arts Centre Melbourne for Asia TOPA. Asia TOPA is a joint initiative of the Sidney Myer Fund and Arts Centre Melbourne.

Production Program

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