A fast-paced family drama set in Singapore’s criminal underworld, Melbourne Theatre Company presents Merlynn Tong’s Golden Blood in the Fairfax Studio – Arts Centre Melbourne.
After two celebrated seasons in Sydney, which heralded playwright and actor Merlynn Tong as a major new talent, this gripping tale comes home to Melbourne Theatre Company this October.
In the backstreets of Singapore, beneath the glitzy skyscrapers and shopping malls, lies a realm of violence, drugs, and chaos. Amid this seedy backdrop, two orphans envision a glittering future. Unfolding with all the urgency and pace of a rollercoaster, this is a funny and powerful coming of age journey.
Golden Blood was developed at Melbourne Theatre Company through the Cybec Electric Play Reading series and the Next Stage Writers’ Program, before a premiere season with Griffin Theatre Company in Sydney that was labelled a sensation.
“I’m excited to show audiences a Singapore that I am sure they have never experienced before. Getting to perform at Melbourne Theatre Company where it was birthed feels like a homecoming” says Merylnn Tong who both wrote and stars in this play.
Inspired by events from Tong’s own life growing up in Singapore and presented in a mix of English and Singlish, this play introduces a side of Singapore not often seen.
“Golden Blood is a heart-pounding tale that only Merlynn could have brought to life”, says Anne-Louise Sarks, Melbourne Theatre Company’s Artistic Director & Co-CEO. “It has been incredible to witness the evolution of this high-energy two-hander.”
Hailed as “hilarious and sharp” (Time Out) Golden Blood follows a teenage girl, portrayed by Merlynn Tong, taken under the wing of her estranged older brother, portrayed by Charles Wu (Bernhardt/Hamlet, Torch The Place) after
the death of their mother.
The complication? Her brother has become a gangster – an ambitious one at that and thug life doesn’t come with a parenting manual. The siblings must confront the ghosts of their past as they navigate the tension between their values, ambitions, and legacy.
Director: Tessa Leong | Featuring: Merlynn Tong, Charles Wu | Set & Costume Designer: Michael Hankin | Lighting Designer: Fausto Brusamolino | Composer & Sound Designer: Rainbow Chan | Dramaturg: Jennifer Medway | Effects Consultant: Emily Parsona-Lord
Golden Blood
Fairfax Studio – Arts Centre Melbourne, 100 St Kilda Road, Melbourne
Season continues to 30 November 2024
Information and Bookings: www.mtc.com.au
Image: Merlynn Tong and Charles Wu star in Golden Blood – photo by Rene Vaile