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Emily of Emerald Hill
A journey that will inspire every generation
Starring PEARLLY CHUA
a canadian Debut
September 8 - September 10, 2006
at the Gateway Theatre
Box Office:
604.270.1812
Corporate & Group Sales
604.329.0754 / 604.729.9079
Website:
Ticket Prices:
$35 (tax included)
Come and join the life and times of Emily, a Singaporean matriarch, who lived through the splendor and the tribulations of the era which spanned through the Second World War. The experiences of Emily will ring through for every genereation. Her jouney will inspire you.
How does a one-woman play about a wealthy Singaporean matriarch endure over 20 years? Stella Kon’s seemingly timeless tale Emily of Emerald Hill – which has appeared on hundreds of stages since its 1984 premiere in Southeast Asia – continues to endear audiences by walking them through one woman’s journey of love, loss, growth, and sacrifice and inviting them to reflect upon familial bonds and tradition.
The character of Emily is based on Kon’s grandmother. The inspiration of Emily of Emerald Hill derived from experiences of growing up in a Peranakan family in the 1950’s. It is a story of a generation.
The script is set in 1950 and chronicles the triumph and fall of one woman. The play opens to the splendor and tribulations of the era with Emily raising her three sons and a daughter through the Second World War. She recounts her early marriage to a man twice her age, her battles with her in-laws, and her son’s studies in law which results in a battle lost when he commits suicide.
As the story progresses, Emily continues her narration of her personal journey of grief and regret over her son’s suicide and her husband’s betrayal and eventual death and invites audiences to witness her ultimate descent in to living in an old house by herself to a ripe old age.
After nearly 25 years of trying to get noticed as a serious writer, Kon’s Emily of Emerald Hill is now studied in universities in Malaysia and Singapore.
Emily of Emerald Hill will make its Canadian debut September 8 at the Gateway Theatre with Pearlly Chua, renown for her over 120 performances of Emily, in the key role. Chin San Sooi, who directed the first performance more than 20 years ago, is directing it for the Gateway stage. This exclusive engagement will run September 8 to 10.
For tickets or more information, contact Laura Takasaki at 604-329-0754 or the Gateway box office at 604-270-1812.
Story by By Natasha Gino
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