Eighteen Lives《祖宗十八代》 is back at Melbourne Fringe

by | Sep 29, 2026

It is a darkly funny, poetic comedy about the people we keep meeting — again and again, across centuries, across lives.

Three performers travel through six eras of Chinese history, from ancient dynasties to modern-day Melbourne, where past and present lives overlap in unexpected, hilarious, and heartbreaking ways.

Blending physical theatre, bilingual dialogue, and absurd humour, Eighteen Lives explores reincarnation, identity, and desire — how we love, lose, and find each other, over and over again.

Performed in Mandarin with English open captions.
No prior knowledge of Chinese history required — just curiosity, and an open heart.

Content Warning

Language – mild language, Strobe lighting, Sudden loud noises

September 29 – October 3

melbournefringe.com.au

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