There are more than 700 events to enjoy at this year’s Brighton Fringe and I had the pleasure of attending “The Empress and Me,” at the Rotunda Theatre in Regency Square, Brighton. It was a political, educational and engaging production by Red Dragonfly Productions, that explored the incredible true story of Lizzie Yu.
The critically acclaimed drama followed her struggle to define her identity, as her upbringing in the East and West collided. The non-profit arts organisation, Red Dragonfly Productions, aims to bring classic and contemporary East-Asian tales to European and British stages and they did just that with this performance.
What is The Empress and Me about?
The Empress and Me delves into the fascinating life of Lizzie Yu, the daughter of a Chinese Diplomat and an American and Chinese mother, who was raised in France as a sophisticated Victorian lady. Eventually, she found herself living in the Forbidden City after her father was called back to China in 1903.
We followed her as she settled into her newfound life at the Manchu court where she acted as a translator for the infamous Empress Dowager Cixi, became the lady in waiting and was bestowed the title of Princess.
Unaware of how significantly this title would restrict her marriage prospects, Lizzie was quickly reminded by her mother and sister. They are desperately unimpressed when she decides to marry for love; even though her mother had done the same. In fact, her father was disowned by his family for doing just that.
She does, however, defy her family and finds the strength her father gave her to pursue her own desires. Shockingly, throughout the play, we saw Lizzie forced to mask her Christian faith, which she even concealed from Empress Cix, as well as her Western upbringing.
Watching Yorkshire-born performer, Michelle Yim use humour and wit to portray Lizzie’s struggle and confusion in navigating her identity was truly captivating. A memorable aspect of Yim’s performance was her clever costume changes throughout; this was powerful as the audience got to see how each costume related to her Chinese and American roots.
Also, the firsthand storytelling style created a sense of unexpected relatability, as many (including myself) could relate to Lizzie Yu’s experience as a multiple-ethnic individual.
Yim managed to deliver a fun and factual performance packed with immense historical context, in an entertaining way. And the Rotunda Theatre’s Bubble venue provided the perfect intimate space for this charming play.
If you’re seeking an enjoyable performance with historical context presented in a digestible and exciting way, then this thrilling tale based on the true story of Lizzie Yu is one to watch!
