On the Wire Presents the World Premiere of FROM SHORE TO SHORE / PIAO YANG GUO HAI

From Shore to Shore is a new play by Mary Cooper in collaboration with MW Sun that weaves together three revealing and moving stories drawn from different generations of people from the British Chinese community. Performed at Chinese restaurants, the new play will have its world premiere at the Oriental City restaurant in Leeds on the 16 May and then tour from Glasgow to London until the 10 June.

Directed by Yellow Earth's co- founder and former Artistic Director David K.S Tse (Song Unsung, Southbank, Running the Silk Road Barbican and King Lear, RSC), From Shore to Shore spans a century of Chinese history through its stories of love and loss, struggle and survival - Cheung Wing is escaping from war, Mei Lan's had enough of the potato peeler, and Yi Di wants the impossible; her parents' approval.

Taking place in a restaurant, accompanied by a Chinese meal, From Shore to Shore brings together English, Mandarin and Cantonese in an innovative blend, which communicates with all. Food and its relationship to love and survival are important themes in the play and the restaurant setting enhances and underlines these connections.

Playwright Mary Cooper, who has written for BBC Radio 4, Channel 4 and Granada, as well as writing more than 20 plays to commission for touring theatre, and multilingual collaborator M W Sun have spent three years researching and recording stories with people in the Chinese community.

Writer Mary Cooper, said

"From Shore to Shore draws on the stories of interviewees from 14 to 84, stories often hidden even from family members. The play reveals the long-view of migration - one of toil, endurance and success in the UK. It has been an extraordinary insight into an undiscovered side of Britain's rich contemporary diversity reaffirming our common humanity in these divisive times."

From Shore to Shore's six strong cast will include Jennifer Leong (Hamlet and Twelfth Night, Shakespeare's Globe), Jackie Lam, Alan Wai (Into the Badlands, AMC), Paula So Man Siu, Yvonne Wan and Dandan Liu.The cast will be joined by musician and multi-instrumentalist Angela Chan, a regular on the festival circuit, having performed on stage at Glastonbury, Boomtown, Bestival, Green Ma, Live at Leeds, SoundCity, Kendal Calling and Secret GArden Party.

The production will be designed by Baoyi Liang, an exciting, young set designer and experienced lighting designer Douglas Kuhrt (The Pitmen Painters, Broadway, A Midsummer's Nights Dream Cbeebies, Black 20 Stories High.)

Director David KS Tse, commented

"Directing From Shore to Shore is both an exciting challenge and a risky venture. The ambition and scale of the storytelling, spanning 75yrs, three languages, and touring to nine non-theatre spaces across the UK, requires a versatile, hard-working cast, creative and production team. The work-in-progress worked brilliantly 18 months ago. As we embark on a full production tour with a new cast and team, we anticipate exciting times ahead!"

The new play will start its national tour in Leeds on the 16 May and the tour to Manchester, Oxford, London, Liverpool, Newcastle, Glasgow, Edinburgh and finish at York on the 10 June.

From Shore to Shore is supported by Arts Council England and The Business Confucius Institute at the University of Leeds.

For more info visit www.fromshoretoshore.co.uk.

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