May 35th to Play at Southwark Playhouse Elephant

Marking the 35^th anniversary of the pro-democracy protest and massacre at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on June 4^th 1989, the award-winning production by Hongkonger Candace Chong Mui Ngam receives its English language premiere.

Based on interviews and real-life stories of parents who lost children at Tiananmen Square, May 35^th is the story of an elderly couple whose dying wish is to hold a proper ritual for their dead son in the place where he was murdered by the state 35 years ago. This four times winner at the 29th Hong Drama Awards opened to sold out theatres in Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan previously.

Due to the National Security Law (NSL) induced by China on Hong Kong in 2020 it is impossible to stage the show again in Hong Kong, and creatives working on the show are appearing under pseudonyms due to political risk for their families. Yesterday (19^th March 2024), Article 23 was passed in the Hong Kong parliament, further expanding on the NSL to target new offences like external interference and insurrection.

As the UK government cracks down on ‘disruptive protest’, May 35^th asks pertinent questions about the right to protest, freedom of speech and the fight for democracy. Meanwhile, the crackdown on human rights in China continues, targeting not just the Chinese but also the Hongkongers, the Tibetans and the Uyghurs, from the people in the territory to the diaspora communities. May 35th remembers not just the tragedy, but the seven-week protest that preceded it, and the hopeful, defiant spirit of the students and workers who participated. In China, any mention of the date ‘June 4^th’ is banned from the internet, so people have come up with terms such as ‘May 35^th’ to circumvent censorship. In Hong Kong, the date May 35^th is now synonymous to the commemoration of the harrowing events of June 4^th 1989.

Stage June Fourth is a non-profit drama company previously based in Hong Kong and is now revived in the UK. Established in 2009, it dedicated itself to producing stage performances and school tours commemorating the Tiananmen Democracy Movement of 1989. Past stage productions include Edelweiss (2009), Edelweiss, Re-run (2010), Beliefs Soar (2012), Beliefs Soar-Occupy Central with Love and Peace (2013), Wang Dan (2014), Blooms of Darkness (2016), A Glimpse of Hope (2017), and May 35th (2019). In 2020, following the enactment of the National Security Law by the Hong Kong government, Stage June Fourth was forced to disband in an environment devoid of “freedom from fear.”  May 35^th marks the company’s first production in London and is supported by Amnesty International UK.

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Founder and producer Ming Wai Lit said, “Following the implementation of the National Security Law in 2020, several of my friends were arrested for organising a peaceful candlelight vigil. My friend, Chow Hang-tung, a human rights lawyer, was imprisoned for encouraging people on social media to light candles at home. Since then, I have lived in fear and felt unsafe, leading me to the difficult decision to leave Hong Kong in 2021. I am now based in the UK.

“I am eager to present the award-winning play May 35th to English-speaking audiences in London. Banned in Hong Kong, preserving it overseas acts as a significant platform for preserving historical truth and amplifying voices that were silenced. I approached Kim to direct the play because of her unparalleled ability to handle complex narratives with sensitivity and creativity. We share the ambition to give a voice to the silenced voices of the Tiananmen Mothers. Our aim is to inspire dialogue and reflection on themes of freedom and resilience. This production underscores our commitment to storytelling that resonates deeply and fosters meaningful change.”

Kerry Moscogiuri, Amnesty International UK’s Campaigns and Communications Director, also said in support, “May 35th – secret code for the censored Tiananmen Square protest anniversary –  has a particular resonance this year on the 35th anniversary of the crackdown. Amnesty International is supporting this important play because it’s a powerful and timely reminder of bloody crackdown against peaceful protesters and the brutal oppression that continues to crush people’s right to express any form of dissent.

“The Government’s determination to silence Chinese and Hong Kong activists, journalists and students through force and intimidation extends far beyond its borders to communities here in the UK and beyond. The authorities must not be allowed to get away with their ruthless suppression and efforts to eliminate the crackdown from people’s memory. Discussing Tiananmen is banned in China and Hong Kong and seeing this play here is one way to break the silence and keep truth alive.”

Director Kim Pearce is the outgoing Co-Artistic Director of Papergang Theatre. With the company she curated the 5-hour duration art event Tiananmen30 at the Omnibus Theatre in 2019. She directed Freedom Hi (Vaults Show of The Week 2020) and Dreamers, both devised shows made with artists affected by the 2019-2020 Hong Kong protests. She also directed Invisible Harmony, a dance and spoken word piece on political activism at the Southbank Centre as part of the Kakiliang Festival. In 2023, for Papergang, she produced and associate directed the  Women’s Prize for Playwriting finalist A Bouffon Play About Hong Kong at HOME in Manchester.

Amnesty International is the world’s largest human rights organisation with over 10 million supporters, working to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied. Amnesty International is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

May 35th is at Southwark Playhouse Elephant 29th May to 1st June 2024