British Chinese play ‘Ghost Girl/Gwei Mui’ now showing in Camden

Jennifer Tang's show 'speaks specifically about the experience of the Chinese here in the UK'

A play about the British Chinese experience is now showing in Camden.

A British Chinese play titled Ghost Girl/Gwei Mui is now showing in Camden People’s Theatre, London.

Created by Jennifer Tang, the play is inspired by Tang’s own experience of being born to Cantonese parents but raised by a white British family.

Ghost Girl/Gwei Mui explores what it means to be British and to be Chinese, with family loyalties and cultural contradictions.

“In recent years there has been a flurry of theatre productions that explore Chinese stories,” Tang said. “Nearly all of these stories have been set in China, or abroad, and have arguably done little to dispel the myth of Chinese people being far away, exoticised, and distinctly ‘other’.”

“While any work featuring East Asian artists can only be welcomed, I’m really thrilled and excited for this opportunity to create a show that speaks specifically about the experience of the Chinese here in the UK, particularly the British Born generations.”

“It feels incredibly important to be part of a flourishing movement that is seeking to give voice to our overlooked community, and which asks for British Chinese identity to be recognized alongside other minority voices.”

Tang added that the play also appeals to any one who has experience culture conflicts as well as British Chinese people.

“This is not just a story for British Chinese audiences. This is also a story about Britishness, and what that means in these turbulent times, and it will resonate with anyone who has at times struggled to find their place in the world, and wondered what it means to belong.”

GHOST GIRL // GWEI MUI ⻤鬼妹 is supported using public funding by Arts Council England and was awarded Camden People’s Theatre’s ‘Home Run’ commission 2018, funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. The play will be performed as part of Chinese Arts Now’s inaugural festival, showcasing the best new work by contemporary Chinese artists.

The show has been developed with the support of Theatre Royal Plymouth, Shoreditch Town Hall and China Exchange.