Spotted in Edinburgh: Her Majesty Queen of Eti-Oni leads standing ovation for English Ako at Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Her Majesty Queen of Eti-Oni led a standing ovation for writer-performer Jules Chans' performance of English Ako at Edinburgh Festival Fringe at a special performance as part of Chinese Culture Week also attended by Lord Provost of Edinburgh.
Chan is performing English Ako at theSpace at Surgeons' Hall until 23 August.
Inspired by the lived experience of being born in the Philippines and raised in the UK, Chan’s semi-autobiographical play candidly explores the challenges and contradictions faced by navigating dual heritage in contemporary Britain.
Blending physical comedy, storytelling and multi-rolling, English Ako follows Boy, a young working-class migrant born in the Philippines and raised in northern England, on a search for his estranged brother and, ultimately, for a version of home where both his Britishness and Asian-ness can coexist.
Set against the backdrop of coming-of-age encounters – from playground racism and awkward dates to tense universal credit meetings – Boy poetically transforms people in his life into beloved Shakespearean characters.
Chan also has the ear of the Ambassador of the Philippines in the UK - Ambassador Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. - who is very supportive of him reaching Filipino audiences in the UK.