This is a good idea that didn’t work.
What a huge effort has been put into creating DONALD’S INFERNO, presented for two nights only in the ‘club’ style Lounge in the Chatwood Concourse.
The story is about Australian journalist and China enthusiast William Donald (1875-1956). In the story, William meets Mao Zedong and Mao’s arch-rival Chiang Kai-Shek. Where? In purgatory. There the three comically debate the Chinese revolution while projections on large screens beside the stage flash up the real images from Chinese history.
Things get even more complicated when William runs a game called ‘Truth or Consequences’, managing to trap each leader in lies. Then Mao and Chiang are reincarnated into their opposite locations – Mao to Taipei and Chiang to Peking. Will the cities’ new bosses make any difference to the way things unfold? It’s all too confusing to know.
Les Asmussen makes a great effort to keep the show moving along. He has a powerful voice and good comic timing. Jackson Liao plays Mao and is a reasonable look alike. Ome Wu plays the train conductor and is the most effective cast member. Tiang Lim, playing Madam Chiang Kai-Skek, isn’t given a change to display her usual comic and engaging acting. Neither is Petrell Huang, playing Madame Mao. Both women were major forces in China at the time but must sit still and stiff as the men’s antics whirl around them on stage.
As an effort to explore Chinese history or to comment on the China-Taiwan issue, DONALDS INFERNO misses its target by a mile.
The play was written, directed and produced by Jon-Claire Lee and was performed at the Lounge, The Concourse, Chatswood.
Details: https://www.theconcourse.com.au/event/donalds-inferno/
