Porcelain

At the webpage of Oslo International Theatre the following, among other things, is written about Porcelain:

"Nineteen year old Asian John Lee shoots his gay lover six times, in the chest, stomach and crotch, in a public restroom in London. If there is one thing he doesn't feel like doing, it's telling the middle-aged, alcoholised and unorthodox psychologist Jack Worthing why he did it.

The sensational journalist Marin Forbes is interested in John's bloodied story, too, in particular because the scene of the killing is a restroom known for casual sex between men. Forbes' assortment of interviewees in the London streets reveals a society dominated by bigoted opinions hidden beneath a polite surface, in which homophobia and homosexuality, fear of the unknown and fascination of the unknown live side by side.

In this prize-awarded play John's experiences as a young, gay Asian are explored through a web of text levels. Present and past, therapy lessons and interviews, a Chinese myth and the final scene of Carmen are interwoven to make a complex image of an outsider not feeling at home in any camp.

[...]

Chay Yew was born in Singapore to Chinese parents, but he now lives and works in USA. He had his breakthrough as a playwright in London during the early 1990es, as Porcelain won The London Fringe Award for best play. Yew's writing is characterised by his radical examination of themes such as racism, censorship and homophobia. Yew also has caused controversy with his plays; As if he hears from 1988 was about an American businessman infected with HIV during a trip to Thailand, who is helped by a gay Malaysian social worker. The play was originally prohibited performed in Singapore due to the 'too sympathetic' gay character."

Porcelain by Oslo International Theatre was supported by Arts Council Norway, The Freedom of Expression Foundation Fritt Ord and Dramatikkens hus. The production was presented with a permit from Nordiska Aps on behalf of Chay Yew.

Source:

Oslo International Theatre, oslointernasjonaleteater.com, 14.09.2012, http://oslointernasjonaleteater.com/2011/01/23/porselen/