By Adam Rafferty
The tale of two orphans toughing it out in the seedy Singaporean underworld isn’t the kind of story that often makes it onto Australian stages, but thanks to the MTC’s NEXT STAGE Writer’s Program (and the Griffin Theatre Company), this excellent semi-autobiographical play will thrill Melbourne audiences with its grit and humour.
Written by and starring Merlynn Tong, Golden Blood tells its story across seven years of a Singaporean-Chinese brother and sister’s lives, starting aged 21 and 14 respectively.
Having left the family home at 14 himself, Boy (Charles Wu) returns to visit Girl (Tong) just after their mother has died. While he’s been off the scene for many years and has apparently joined a local gang – his body now bedecked with tattoos – he’s insistent that he can care for his sister better than their relatives and cajoles her into signing him over her guardianship.
Boy sports all the arrogance and swagger of a young man out to prove himself, and quickly re-establishes a bond with Girl, providing for them both through his ‘work’ in organised crime. Girl is a sweet-natured dreamer, desperate to move to her favourite country – Australia – where she plans to become a veterinarian, caring for all the marsupials she’s heard about, while her beloved soft toy koala becomes emblematic of her dreams. Meanwhile, Boy’s dreams are of wealth and success as one of Singapore’s most respected gangsters.
Director Tessa Leong spins a fast-paced journey out of Tong’s sharp and witty script. Jumping from scene to scene, year to year with quick-cut lighting changes, an LED ticker to call out shifts in age, and excellent use of stage and costume. This is a skilfully devised production, that draws out the strengths and qualities of familial connections, while not shying away from their toxicity either. This is a story of the bonds of family played out against cultural traditions and obligations, drugs and ill-begotten gold, which is not only high on energy, but filled with great warmth and humour too.
Tong is extraordinary in her ability to portray a naïve child who steadily grows into a confident young woman, with a level of sass equal in measure to her cocky and criminally inclined brother. The charm and warmth that Tong brings to the role is thoroughly endearing and pulls at the heart strings beautifully. Wu is an excellent match for Tong’s energy and sits into the role with such comfort, you’d swear he wasn’t acting. Together the pair are magnetic and make the 90-minute play time fly by.
Michael Hankin’s set is deceptively simple, mostly made up of a golden shiny brass floor and a recessed corridor with LED screen attached, but it provides a wonderful canvas for Fausto Brusamolino’s truly fantastic lighting design. From bold, colour-filled moments to gently beautiful vignettes and highly precise spotlights, this is superlative work. Sound by Rainbow Chan is deftly designed to also help create changes in scene.
What a pleasure to see such a unique piece of new Australian writing on the Melbourne stage. Golden Blood has several parallels to MTC’s production Topdog/Underdog staged earlier this year, but I would argue is far more relevant and enjoyably high-octane. This is a golden, shining gem, that will take you on a wonderfully wild ride.
Image: Prudence Upton
