CHARACTER LIST:
Episode 1:
ACTOR 1:
YOUNG CHU HUA: Poverty-stricken, obedient and shy

ACTOR 2:
SIGN HOLDER 1
Chu Hua’s MOTHER
BUSINESSMAN 1

ACTOR 3:
SIGN HOLDER 2  
Chu Hua’s FATHER
BUSINESSMAN 2

ACTOR 4:
NARRATOR: Chu Hua as an older woman, obviously scarred by her earlier experiences with domestic violence, racism and poverty.

Episode 2:
ACTOR 1:
HUSBAND: Chu Hua’s abusive, wealthy old husband.
MIME: HUSBAND
NARRATOR

ACTOR 2:
CHU (preparing for marriage)
MIME: CHU

ACTOR 3:
AUSTRALIAN 1
AUSTRALIAN 3
HUSBAND (in second half of this EPISODE)

ACTOR 4:
SIGN HOLDER
AUSTRALIAN 2
CHU (in second half of this EPISODE)
Episode 3:

ACTOR 1:
SIGN HOLDER 1
AUSTRALIAN 1

ACTOR 2:
SIGN HOLDER 2
AUSTRALIAN 2
NARRATOR

ACTOR 3:
CHU

ACTOR 4:
AUSTRALIAN 3
HUSBAND


Episode 4/5:

ACTOR 1:
CHU

ACTOR 2:
AUSTRALIAN 1
CHU’S FRIEND

ACTOR 3:
AUSTRALIAN 2

ACTOR 4:
NARRATOR
SIGN HOLDER


EPISODE 1: LONG AGO
(SIGN HOLDER 1 walks onto the stage with a sign: “EPISODE 1: LONG AGO.” NARRATOR walks to centre stage. She covers her face with her arms in exaggerated embarrassment.)

NARRATOR: Don’t stare! Sorry, I’m still a little sensitive. I’m here to tell you my story: a story about racism and abuse, although at the time I couldn’t say those words.

(SIGN HOLDERS 1 and 2, downstage, hold up signs that say “Racism” and “Abuse”)

NARRATOR: When I was young, I lived in a poor part of China.

(She takes the other actors, MOTHER, FATHER and CHU to one side, marking their places on signs stating their roles. Young CHU wears glasses.)

NARRATOR: Life was difficult.

(PARENTS mime concern, exaggeratedly wringing their hands and touching their heads, and CHU shrugs at the audience.)

NARRATOR: One day, rich businessmen came from Australia.

(PARENTS mime stylised excitement, jumping and using their arms. CHU clasps her hands together anxiously.)

NARRATOR: I was nineteen, so my parents told me I should try and marry one of the men so I could have money.

(PARENTS gesture love, putting their hands on their chests, then they gesture a roof, and touch their stomachs to indicate possible satisfaction.)

NARRATOR: I couldn’t speak much English, but I obeyed.

(MOTHER and FATHER become BUSINESSMEN, removing the signs. CHU approaches them, bows, kneels and puts her hand on her heart in a stylised expression of loving submission.)

NARRATOR: One, twice my age, had no wife and so accepted me.

(BUSINESSMAN 2 grabs CHU by the wrist and pulls her towards stage right. CHU mimes alarm by grabbing at the air to her left.)

NARRATOR: He took me to Australia.

(BUSINESSMAN 1 puts CHU’s glasses in a black box downstage and drapes a black sheet over her. She wanders around, covered by it, while the BUSINESSMEN mime laughter.)

NARRATOR: (indicating the box) I was blind to the truth.

(BUSINESSMAN 2 holds up a sign: “Abuser”)

NARRATOR: It was hardest when I first arrived in Australia.

(ALL freeze briefly. Then CHU emerges from the sheet, leaving it where it lands.)


EPISODE 2: PREPARING FOR MARRIAGE
(SIGN HOLDER presents a sign with this episode’s title to the audience.)

(The AUSTRALIANS and HUSBAND walk around, talking nonsense, while CHU, in the middle, shrugs confusedly. CHU never makes eye contact with the AUSTRALIANS. All characters address the audience.)

(The AUSTRALIANS line up, passing CHU to state their lines, crossing to stage right.)

AUSTRALIAN 1: (Indicating embarrassment with a hand on the forehead) An Asian bride?

CHU: I’ve been very sad.

AUSTRALIAN 2: (hands on hips) She must be stupid!

CHU: (indicating the box with her glasses) I can’t see properly.

HUSBAND: (Businesslike and proud (chest out)) Yes, we are engaged.

(The AUSTRALIANS freeze at stage right, posing disapprovingly.)

CHU: (kneels submissively, raising her hands questioningly) Why do you hurt me?

(The HUSBAND doesn’t look at her, even as CHU gestures with one hand to her heart and the other reaching out for him.)

(The two AUSTRALIANS become CHU and the HUSBAND, while the others go behind the sheet/ curtain established upstage and mime violence. This sheet must be illuminated from behind to allow shadows to project, and ideally should have “You must not see!” written on it. While the mime happens, the HUSBAND sings.)

HUSBAND: (singing “China Girl” by David Bowie)
My little china girl
You shouldn’t mess with me
I’ll ruin everything you are
I’ll give you television
I’ll give you eyes of blue
I’ll give you men who want to rule the world

(During this monologue, CHU addresses the audience directly. The HUSBAND freezes with his back to her.)

CHU: Dear Mum and Dad, I’m eating well. (She gestures to her stomach) My English is better already. (She gestures to her mouth) I’ve met my fiancé’s nice family. (She gestures to her heart) Now, though, I’m grateful to be alone. (She continues to gesture to her heart) I’m glad you will see my wedding. (She pauses and becomes grave, engaging the audience.) I want to tell you so many things.

(She holds up a sign: “Frozen out.” The actors from the mime emerge. CHU and the HUSBAND mime along with the NARRATOR’s commentary.)

NARRATOR: It got worse after the marriage. My parents told me I was ungrateful. I was lost in Australia, and the only person I had was my husband. Under my clothes, I hid the scars he inflicted. I was his Toy.

(CHU freezes, kneeling as the HUSBAND towers over her with balled fists.)


EPISODE 3- MY NAME IS CHU HUA

(SIGN HOLDER 1 announces the new episode with a sign.)

(SIGN HOLDER 2 has a sign: “At the Department Store.”)

(The three AUSTRALIANS crowd CHU and intimidate the audience in turn, yelling nonsense and baring their teeth.)

(One of the AUSTRALIANS becomes the HUSBAND. AUSTRALIAN 1 has a sign: “Reality.” AUSTRALIAN 2 stands with CHU at stage left with a sign: “New glasses.”)

HUSBAND: Toy, what are you doing? I took you here so you could look for some nice lingerie.

CHU: Thank you.
(She gestures her thanks with a hand on her heart, and bows submissively, but holds up a sign: “My name is Chu Hua.”)

(The AUSTRALIANS walk past, staring and pointing.)

(CHU holds up another sign: “Won’t you help me?” but the AUSTRALIANS keep jeering and walking, and she hangs her head.)

HUSBAND: I’m old, Toy; give me a child.

(CHU continues to hang her head.)

HUSBAND: (smiling threateningly) You will give me what I want.

AUSTRALIANS: (chanting at Chu and the audience) Give him what he wants, give him what he wants!

CHU: (with submissive gestus) Yes.

NARRATOR: It was then that my life turned into a perpetual nightmare.

(All freeze.)

EPISODE 4: CHU’S NIGHTMARE

(SIGN HOLDER shows the audience this episode’s title.)

(CHU cowers between two animalistic and aggressive AUSTRALIANS. One throws plastic coins at the audience and CHU. The NARRATOR addresses the audience downstage.)

AUSTRALIAN 1: (in a strange voice) How does it feel to be rich, Chu?

(CHU mimes exaggerated crying.)

NARRATOR: Sometimes I wanted to say the truth.

CHU: (to AUSTRALIAN 2) My husband hits me!

NARRATOR: But he always said:

AUSTRALIAN 1: (explaining to the audience condescendingly) She doesn’t know what she’s saying. Her English is terrible.

AUSTRALIANS 1 and 2: (chanting viciously) Misfit! Misfit! Misfit!

(CHU is overcome, falling to her knees with submissive gestus. AUSTRALIAN 1 puts the sheet over CHU again.)

AUSTRALIANS 1 and 2: Misfit! Misfit! Misfit!

(There is a lull.)

SCENE 5: CHU FINDS A FRIEND

(CHU has the sign for this episode title.)

NARRATOR: Then, one day, an optometrist noticed my bruises. She taught me to see and helped me out of my nightmare.

(AUSTRALIAN 1 takes off her mask and offers CHU the box with the glasses. CHU puts them on, and mimes reorientating herself.)

AUSTRALIAN 1: (to AUSTRALIAN 2) Go away!

(While the NARRATOR speaks, the other actors line up beside her, with the exception of AUSTRALIAN 2, hiding in the audience.)

NARRATOR: I understood that abuse is wrong. I’m not a nineteen-year-old victim anymore. I divorced my husband, but my son and I are comfortable. (She mimes comfort, resting her head on her heads, and then points into the audience to her ‘son’.) But young Chu is still with me.

(CHU holds up a sign: “Abuse haunts.”)

(CHU and AUSTRALIANS 1 and 2 distribute flowers to one in four members of the audience while the NARRATOR continues.)

NARRATOR: I wanted to tell you my story because I’m not alone. It was difficult for me because I couldn’t speak good English. People misunderstood me because, when I came to Australia, there were not many Asian migrants. But many, many more people suffer abuse. According to the Australian Institute of Criminology, one in four young people witness domestic violence. If you see the warning signs in someone, don’t ignore them!

ALL ACTORS: (chanting) This is reality. This is your play! Stop the violence! You are not alone!

(ALL ACTORS yell the message spread over four signs: “Abuse is not invisible!”)