Moongate Productions Presents THE FU MANCHU COMPLEX at Ovalhouse, Now thru Oct 19

The Fu Manchu Complex, a play by Daniel York, will premiere at Ovalhouse today, 1 - 19 October 2013. Directed by Justin Audibert (Artistic Associate of HighTide and Associate of Told By An Idiot), this new work centres on the eponymous character in Sax Rohmer's Fu Manchu novels, the first of which was published 100 years ago in 1913.

Subverting the anti-Chinese views and 'Yellow Peril' stereotype presented in these novels, Daniel York's debut play is a satirical take on British cultural representations of East Asian figures. Five British East Asian actors will 'white up' to play the English characters in the production.

In this surreal and comic melodrama Fu Manchu - an evil Chinese genius with a predilection for cruel methods of torture - hatches a plot to turn the entire Western world 'Chinese' through genetically engineered fungal poisoning. The thoroughly English duo Dr Petrie and Inspector Nayland Smith fight to defend Britain's Empire from this fate.

Battling through clouds of opium, spiffing chaps Dr Petrie and Inspector Nayland Smith must do anything to stop the dastardly plans of evil criminal mastermind Dr Fu Manchu; but will their colonial angst allow them to do away with the villainous genius and save merry old England? And as their blundering leads them to ever more absurd conclusions, we ask, who is the real Fu Manchu?

In conjunction with the play's run at Ovalhouse, a series of discussions on and surrounding this topic will be held in September and October 2013. These include a debate on the current state of British East Asian theatre and its future, and a discussion of literary and filmic representations of 1920s Chinese London.

Daniel York said: "It is now time for East Asians to participate in mainstream UK theatre and therefore mainstream British life. We have opened the door and now we need to keep it open. By busting stereotypes, challenging clichés... and having serious fun in the process."

THE FU MANCHU COMPLEX
Ovalhouse Downstairs, 52-54 Kennington Oval London SE11 5SW
1 - 19 October 2013
Tuesday - Saturday 7.45pm
Press Night: Thursday 3 October, 7.45pm
www.ovalhouse.com
Box Office: 020 7582 7680
Ticket Prices: £14 full price | £10 Under 26/Equity/BECTU | £8 concessions | Previews on 1 & 2 Oct all tickets £7

Free Related Events at Ovalhouse:

Ovalhouse Cafe/Gallery

1 - 19 October, Tues-Sat 3-8pm

?? (rén jì) ('tracings of human life')
An exhibition presented in parallel with The Fu Manchu Complex
A long-distance friendship plays out between two people who both grew up in Singapore and live in London but do not meet, corresponding only via their daily posts on their blogs and social media instead.

Sat 5 October 4.30 - 6.30pm

Pre-show public debate
Discussion: What happens after Opening The Door? How do British East Asians now move away from exotic curio and properly integrate into mainstream British Theatre?
Admission free

Tues 8 October

Post-show live music
Semi-acoustic trio Wondermare do folk rock covers of songs mostly about horses. Sometimes they sing in Mandarin. Mostly they rock.
Admission free

Other Related Events:

Discussion: The Fu Manchu Complex and the representation of East Asians in the (modern) arts and media
SOAS 27th Sept, 2 - 5pm

Chaired by Dr. Rossella Ferrari, Lecturer in Modern Chinese Culture and Language at S.O.A.S. the panel, consisting of Sir Christopher Frayling (Former Rector at the Royal College Of Art and author of a book on The Yellow Peril for Thames & Hudson), Dr. Amy Ng (Playwright & B.A. and M.A. degree in East Asian Studies and History from Yale University),Dr. Emma Mawdsley (Cambridge University) Dr. Amanda Rogers (Swansea University), Dr, Ashley Thorpe (Royal Holloway) and Dr. Adele Lee (University of Greenwich) will discuss and debate East Asian presence in contemporary UK media and how it is informed by the past.

Discussion: Fu Manchu in London - Lao She, Limehouse, and Yellow Peril in the heart of Empire
University of Westminster 4th Oct, 10am

Chaired by Dr, Anne Witchard who most recently curated the fascinating and diverse series of China In Britain events. The panel also consists of Dr. Julia Lovell (author of The Opium
War), Dr. Ross Forman of Warwick University, acclaimed writer and historian Dr. Robert
Irwin and Anthony Clayton & Phil Baker of Strange Attractor Press who have compiled a forthcoming book around the 100th anniversary of the publication of the first Fu Manchu novel. This event will focus on literary and filmic representations of 1920s Chinese London in light of both the production and the forthcoming release to two brand new translations of the work of acclaimed Chinese author Lao She.

About Daniel York, Writer

Daniel York was born of mixed Singaporean/English parentage and grew up in the UK. As an actor, his theatre work in London includes Mu-lan's award winning production of Porcelain at the Royal Court and Fortinbras opposite Alan Rickman's Hamlet at the Riverside Studios, as well as work at the Royal Shakespeare Company and around the UK. In October he will be appearing at The National Theatre Shed in The World Of Extreme Happiness. As a writer and director, his feature film script Beautiful Friend has been developed by Film4 and his short film, Mercutio's Dreaming: The Killing Of A Chinese Actor, was recently nominated for four awards at the World Music & Independent Film Festival. Last year York was selected as part of the Royal Court's Unheard Voices initiative for emerging East Asian writers. As a result of this he was invited on to the Royal Court Studio writers' programme.

About Justin Audibert, Director

Justin Audibert is a freelance theatre director and Associate Director for Red Ladder. Recent directing credits include A Season In The Congo: Parallel Project (Clare, Young Vic), Wrong' Un by Boff Whalley (Red Ladder), Gruesome Playground Injuries by Rajiv Joseph (Gate Theatre), The Tempest (RSC Shakespeare in a Suitcase), Front by Vickie Donoghue (Rada Festival), Future Regrets by Roz Wyllie (Live Theatre / RSC), Armley The Musical by Boff Whalley (Interplay) and Company Along The Mile by Tom Bidwell (WYP / Arcola). As an Assistant Director he has worked with Greg Doran, Lucy Bailey, David Farr, Rachel Kavanaugh, Paul Hunter and Sarah Esdaile amongst others. Audibert is an Associate for Told By An Idiot, an Artistic Associate of HighTide Theatre Festival and has directed at numerous drama schools including Drama Centre, GSA and ArtsEd. He has worked for the Royal Shakespeare Company as an Education Associate Practitioner in the UK, the United States and Brazil. In 2012 Audibert was the Acting Coach for the finalists of BBC 2's Shakespeare Off By Heart. He has been Resident Director at The National Theatre Studio, and was the recipient of the 2012 Leverhulme Award for Emerging Directors. Justin trained on the Birkbeck MFA in Theatre Directing.

About Moongate Productions, Producer

Moongate Productions is a multi-modal creative set-up that allows fluidity between theatre, film and documentary. It is committed to creating and developing high quality projects that raise the profile of, and give free reign to, East Asian talent whilst challenging stereotyped portrayals of East Asians.

About Mark Cartwright, Producer

Mark Cartwright produced Jigsy (Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh / Tobacco Factory Theatre, Bristol / Royal Court, Liverpool), Fireface (Young Vic), The Hairy Ape (Southwark Playhouse), Bunny (Soho Theatre and 59E59 Theaters, New York), which was a NY Times Critics' Pick, Blue Surge (Finborough), and The Boy on the Swing (Arcola). He was Associate Producer of Herding Cats (Hampstead). Other producing credits include Time Warner Ignite 1 and The 24 Hour Plays: Old Vic New Voices (Old Vic) and he was Assistant Producer on Caryl Churchill's Light Shining in Buckinghamshire (Arcola). In 2012 he was awarded a Stage One Bursary for New Producers. In 2013 Mark worked as a the Stage One Apprentice at Playful Productions, working on such shows including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Audience, Yes, Prime Minister, Dirty Dancing and Wicked. See http://www.markcartwright.co.uk for further details of upcoming productions.

About Ovalhouse

For the past 50 years Ovalhouse has been a home to experimental, radical and overlooked artists seeking to make theatre and performance that speaks to a world beyond the mainstream. Ovalhouse stands on a proud history and continues to be a vital home for boundary-pushing art and artists with an eye on the future. 2013 is the venue's 50th anniversary year.

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