Chu's Party

Join us for this one of a kind play reading brought to you by multiple award winning stage writer, Michele Lee.

In Chu’s Party, a group of cosmopolitan international Asian students and graduates gather at a party to watch the 1975 federal election results – Whitlam vs Fraser. As the students drink, flirt, feast and discuss their lives and studies, who will govern Australia, and what will an Australian government do for the South East Asian people displaced by the Vietnam War. Who at the party stays in Australia, who goes home.

A re-purposing and response to the iconic play DON'S PARTY by David Williamson

Developed with the support of Australian Plays Transform.

Written by: Michele Lee

Cast: Darren Thao, Kevin Horerslev, Bernard Sam Mun Kin, Andrew Dang, Quinn Tran, Aljin Abella, Claire Nicholls, Clarisse Bonello, Anna Fujihara

Michele Lee is a multiple award-winning and critically acclaimed Hmong-Australian writer, known for her sharp ear and wit, creating character-driven stories often from the perspectives of imperfect women. Across stage, audio and live art, her works include Rice (2022, 2021, 2017), Security (2022), Single Ladies (2021), Going Down (2018), The Naked Self (2018, 2016), Talon Salon (2014, 2013, 2012) and See How The Leaf People Run (2012). For screen, Michele wrote on TV shows Hungry Ghosts (2020) and Retrograde (2020), and wrote two 6 x 2-minute stories released on TikTok (2022). Her sex-romp memoir Banana Girl (2013) is published by Transit Lounge. 

Presented by RMIT Culture and non/fictionLab, in partnership with WrICE. Part of the 2024 Connecting Asia-Pacific Literary Cultures Symposium.

This event was produced as part of the Australian Research Council Discovery Project, Connecting Asia-Pacific Literary Cultures: Grounds for Ethical Encounter and Exchange, with funding from the Australian Government.