Golden Blood | 黄金血液 - Sydney Theatre Company (NSW)

By Merlynn Tong. Directed by Tessa Leong.   

A complex play that touches on dark themes such as drug use, death, and the fragility of life; a powerful new work that must be seen

Reviewed by Chanele Mao

Sydney Theatre Company

Season 13 September – 13 October 2024

Tickets: https://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/whats-on/productions/2024/golden-blood

Golden Blood is a gripping play that details the life of two orphan siblings – Girl (14 years old) and Boy (21 years old) - as they navigate life after their mother’s tragic death by suicide. Set against the glitzy yet dangerous backdrop of Singapore, the story delves into the shadowy underworld of gangsters, drugs, and Ponzi schemes, while following the growth of these two young individuals forced to fend for themselves.

It's rare to witness a family drama set in Singapore, performed by an Asian Australian cast on the Sydney Theatre Company stage. This makes Golden Blood a refreshing and significant production. The play is penned by Merlynn Tong, an exciting new voice in theatre, who also stars as Girl. Inspired by her own life, Tong was moved to write the play after her mother took her own life when she was 14.

Golden Blood, Sydney Theatre Company (2024). Images by Prudence Upton.

The play feels cathartic, inviting the audience into the lives of Girl and Boy at different stages in their early years — from ages 14 to 21 for Girl, and 21 to 28 for Boy. A poignant ritual in the story involves them burning paper effigies of gold bars, ingots, and hell money, a traditional offering for the deceased in the hope that their parents will have wealth and comfort in the afterlife. This also reflects the pursuit of wealth and materialism as the siblings grow up.

Girl’s love for Australia – the animals, mar-su-pals (a play on marsupials) and her toy koala with a red billy hat, shows us that Australia is in her future as she wants to be a veterinary surgeon one day. Boy, on the other hand struggles with being a good guardian to his sister, the older brother and quasi parent, but who also happens to be a heart-warming, gangster and drug dealer. 

...a refreshing and significant production

Merlynn Tong (Girl) and Charles Wu (Boy) make a dynamic sister and brother duo. There were some lovely moments of sibling rivalry and humour as Boy and Girl chant mandarin greetings to each other for Chinese New Year.

The stage design by Michael Hankin highlighted by gleaming golden tiles, is a reminder of the prosperous golden life that their mother had hoped for them. The lighting by Fausto Brausamolino was effective as bursts of Dance Dance Revolution music interspersed throughout the play reflected Girl’s love for dancing. There is a small ancestral worship table tucked on the left side of the stage, which symbolises the familial tradition of honouring your ancestors, believed to protect the living. A changing panel at the back of the stage cleverly shifts the setting for different scenes.

Golden Blood directed by Tessa Leong is a complex play that touches on dark themes such as drug use, death, and the fragility of life. It draws out the nuances of the mother-child relationship, and the prompts the audience to reflect about their own familial ties. Don’t miss this powerful new work by Merlynn Tong!

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CAST & CREATIVES

Director Tessa Leong

Designer Michael Hankin

Lighting Designer Fausto Brusamolino

Composer & Sound Designer Rainbow Chan

With Merlynn Tong, Charles Wu

Marketing image Rene Vaile

Production images Prudence Upton

Approx. duration 90 mins (no interval). Subject to change.

Content Coarse language, use of theatrical blood, depictions of drug use and mental illness, violence, smoke and flame, flashing lights, references to alcoholism, child abuse and suicide. Subject to change.

ACCESSIBLE PERFORMANCES

Sydney Theatre Company is committed to providing equal access to ensure that everyone can fully participate and enjoy our productions. Please see below for a full list of accessible performances available for Golden Blood.

To access the special Access price and to book the best-designated seating for the service you require, click your chosen performance date below.

Captioned Performances

Captions are text descriptions that display a plays dialogue, identify speakers, and describe other relevant sounds that are otherwise inaccessible to people who are deaf or hearing impaired. Open Captions are displayed on a screen on stage.

Tue 8 Oct, 6.30pm

Sat 12 Oct, 1.30pm