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Culture Theatre

Adult Puppetmongers

Rating: NNNNN

The poor and disenfranchised take action against the government. No, we’re not talking about a demonstration at Queen’s Park, but rather one narrative thread in Puppetmongers’ latest show. The Pirate Widow Cheng tells the real-life story of Shih Yang, a woman who at the start of the 19th century marries a pirate overlord and, on his death, takes over a huge fleet to battle royal forces. It’s the first adult-aimed piece for talented sister and brother Ann and David Powell, whose Christmas shows like Tea At The Palace are family-audience favourites. This production, directed by Threshold Theatre’s Mark Cassidy, includes gay lovers, sexual manipulation and some ruthless village slaughter. “It’s given a context by two narrators,” says David. “Jorge Luis Borges romanticizes Shih Yang’s life, while academic Dian Murray presents her as a woman sold into childhood prostitution who becomes a power broker in a world controlled by men.”

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