Eunuch v. Pirate

BY NORMAN YEUNG

A dying Chinese almost-billionaire goes on a journey to reconcile with his Canadian tech-wiz daughter, with the meddling of a 15th Century eunuch and 18th Century pirate. Eunuch v. Pirate is a father-daughter tragicomedy invigorated by hints of the absurd and the meta.

 

A Message from Norman:
When writing plays, I ask myself: Why is this theatre? Why must this be live? I’m curious about disrupting how an audience experiences theatre. I’m playing with theatrical time and space to fully utilise the virtues of live performance. Time folds unto itself: a scene can occur in 2021, 1799, and 1403 simultaneously, intersecting histories to suggest Chinese hubris existing here and now as it has for centuries.

I see this staged at the open-concept offices of a tech firm (or a facsimile of one), where audience mingle amongst ping-pong tables, napping tents, beanbag chairs, and lots of snacks. There’ll be at least two ships in that office. Performers weave in and out, below and above the audience (think pirates climbing a mast… or flying), immersing them in a theatrical experience spanning seven centuries, several oceans, four countries, has two dozen characters and giraffes and camels and probably puppets and at least one spectacular sea battle… I’m excited to offer the director and creatives opportunities to make something intrinsically theatrical.

I’ve been contemplating the dilemma of who gets to tell whose story, and considered the gift and responsibility available to me as a Chinese-Canadian artist. I feel it’s time to contribute another story from that perspective.

I’m examining a cultural pride that the Chinese have held precious for millennia. What is the fragility at the core?

My impetus to write this is anti-Chinese abuse during this pandemic. By showing nuances of Chinese behaviour, I’m sharing our humanity.

I’m honoured to collaborate with Mitchell, Jeff, and Outside the March, artists whose work I admire deeply. I’m grateful to Ontario Arts Council for supporting this residency.

 

ABOUT NORMAN
Norman is a writer, actor, and visual artist. His play Theory premiered at Tarragon Theatre and had its American premiere at Mosaic Theater Company of Washington, DC. Theory won The Voaden Prize and was nominated for the Carol Bolt Award. Pu-Erh was produced by k’Now Theatre at Theatre Passe Muraille and Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, and received four Dora Award nominations, including Outstanding New Play, and was a Voaden Prize finalist. Other plays and performance pieces include The Zoonotic Story (Stratford Festival/National Arts Centre), I Know I’m Supposed to Love You (Touchstone Theatre), Deirdre Dear (Neil LaBute New Theater Festival, St. Louis), In this moment (Scotiabank Nuit Blanche), and Black Blood (Tapestry New Opera Showcase, with composer Christiaan Venter). Theory and Ms. Desjardin were recorded as radio drama podcasts (PlayME/CBC). He has been a member of playwright/creator units at Stratford Festival, Tarragon Theatre, fu- GEN Asian Canadian Theatre Company, Tapestry Opera, and Canadian Stage.

As an actor, he has worked with theatres including Stratford Festival, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Canadian Stage, Theatre Calgary, Citadel Theatre, Thousand Islands Playhouse, LA Opera, Theatre Conspiracy, Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre, Firehall Arts Centre, Gateway Theatre, and more. Among his many roles in film and TV, favourites include “Resident Evil: Afterlife” and “Todd and the Book of Pure Evil”.

He holds a BFA (Honours) in Film from Ryerson University and a BFA in Acting/Theatre from University of British Columbia. Norman was born in Guangzhou and grew up in East Vancouver, on the unceded and traditional territory of the Coast Salish people.

 

NORMAN YEUNG IS SUPPORTED BY THE OAC PLAYWRIGHT-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM