Photographer-storyteller William Yang returns to a motherland he never knew, the Australian-born Chinese a stranger in his homeland.

Yang takes us from the streets of Beijing, where electronics superstores jostle with echoes of the Cultural Revolution and the Ming Dynasty, to the sacred mountain Huang Shan, a must-climb for every Chinese pilgrim-tourist. The images used were taken by William in his four trips to China, between 1989 and 2005.

Part social documentary, part personal observation, China creates a meditative space, a journey of reflection on the meaning of culture and belonging, for performer and audience alike.

Yang’s wryly sensitive perspective, his eye for detail, and his arresting images come together with Nicholas Ng’s haunting live score for the erhu (Chinese violin) and pipa (Chinese lute), in an unforgettable theatrical experience.

China is Yang’s ninth monologue performance, along with Sadness, Friends of Dorothy, The North, Shadows and Objects For Meditation.

“A deceptive simplicity is at play here, along with a charismatic persona, as he tells what are often intensely personal stories, making light of his sharp observation of people… This is an incredibly beautiful show, and should not be missed.” Australian Stage Online

“His photographs have a lyrical quality to their composition and the live Chinese music is beautifully delivered by Nicholas Ng.” The Daily Telegraph

William Yang