'It’s 2006 and less than 10% of China is online. The Chinese government looks to Silicon Valley to protect their citizens from the unfiltered chaos of the internet, resulting in the construction of an epic firewall called the Golden Shield. With American companies actively working to build it – stifling political debate in the process – are they responsible, or just doing good business? If they can be prosecuted for working against the promotion of democracy, should they? And if dissidents start disappearing, who should be put on trial?
'With interweaving storylines from across the globe, Golden Shield is an urgent legal drama that explores the personal and political ramifications of corporate greed in the global economy. A trail-blazer of contemporary theatre, Anchuli Felicia King finds fascination in the space where technology and tradition meet for this piercing, funny and extremely timely new play.'
Source: Melbourne Theatre Company.
Teachers' notes via Melbourne Theatre Company.
Produced by Melbourne Theatre Company (world premiere), 12 August to 14 September 2019 (The Sumner, Southbank Theatre).
Director: Sarah Goodes.
Set and Costume Design: The Sisters Hayes (Esther Hayes and Rebecca Hayes).
Cast: Nicholas Bell (Judge Peter H. Durham), Jing-Xuan Chan (Eva Chen), Josh McConville (Marshall McLaren), and Yuchen Wong (Translator).
'After a whirlwind 2019, in which three of her plays debuted around the world, Anchuli Felicia King is showing no signs of slowing down. The Thai–Australian playwright and multidisciplinary artist speaks about language, learning from other Asian women and how storytelling can make a difference. “I’m drawn towards muscular political storytelling, art that has a clear politics and an ethical framework it’s trying to impart. That feels especially vital in a world lacking humane moral leadership.” By Winnie Siulolovao Dunn.'
'Anchuli Felicia King holds the singular distinction among Australian playwrights of having not one or two, but three plays debut on Australian stages in 2019. And the story only gets more interesting from there.' (Introduction)
'Anchuli Felicia King is a multi-disciplinary artist and playwright. With six productions this year, Felicia has rocketed onto the global stage as a young Thai-Australian self-described “theatre-maker.”
'Whitney McIntosh spoke to Felicia about her recent play White Pearl, which debuted in London earlier this year, and Golden Shield, which is coming to the Melbourne Theatre Company in September.' (Introduction)
'The great Spanish novelist Javier Marías includes a scene in A Heart So White (1992) where a translator deliberately mistranslates a conversation between two characters who obviously stand in for Margaret Thatcher and Felipe González. He does this to send a coded message to the other translator in the room, his future wife. It is an extraordinary set piece, a serio-comic exposé of the translator’s power but also of its limits. An individual, Marías seems to say, can manipulate communication between authoritarian states for private gain, but ultimately can’t safeguard against that authority.' (Introduction)
'The great Spanish novelist Javier Marías includes a scene in A Heart So White (1992) where a translator deliberately mistranslates a conversation between two characters who obviously stand in for Margaret Thatcher and Felipe González. He does this to send a coded message to the other translator in the room, his future wife. It is an extraordinary set piece, a serio-comic exposé of the translator’s power but also of its limits. An individual, Marías seems to say, can manipulate communication between authoritarian states for private gain, but ultimately can’t safeguard against that authority.' (Introduction)
'Anchuli Felicia King is a multi-disciplinary artist and playwright. With six productions this year, Felicia has rocketed onto the global stage as a young Thai-Australian self-described “theatre-maker.”
'Whitney McIntosh spoke to Felicia about her recent play White Pearl, which debuted in London earlier this year, and Golden Shield, which is coming to the Melbourne Theatre Company in September.' (Introduction)
'Anchuli Felicia King holds the singular distinction among Australian playwrights of having not one or two, but three plays debut on Australian stages in 2019. And the story only gets more interesting from there.' (Introduction)
'After a whirlwind 2019, in which three of her plays debuted around the world, Anchuli Felicia King is showing no signs of slowing down. The Thai–Australian playwright and multidisciplinary artist speaks about language, learning from other Asian women and how storytelling can make a difference. “I’m drawn towards muscular political storytelling, art that has a clear politics and an ethical framework it’s trying to impart. That feels especially vital in a world lacking humane moral leadership.” By Winnie Siulolovao Dunn.'
