Type – Chinese Mythology, New Work, Dramedy
If you liked – Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Inception, Rabbit Moon Rising
lacuna: Chinese mythology meets contemporary sentimentality in this astounding new Australian work
Eric Jiang‘s new Australian work, lacuna, fuses Chinese folklore with the contemporary world in a production that explores generational sensibilities nestled in the push and pull of queerness and tradition. It’s both charming and bitingly funny as it is subtly heartbreaking – never undercutting its depth for cheap laughs.
Claudia (Rachel Seeto) is in the midst of a cold shoulder war with her mother, she’s jobless and doesn’t want to be a culture hire – but also, she needs the money please – and has just fumbled a prayer ritual duing the Qingming Festival. On the third prayer bow at the wrong grave of a deceased relative, she stumbles headfirst into the underworld encountering Meng Po (the Chinese Goddess of Oblivion) who quickly employs her to collect and burn human memories. Still, it’s better than scrolling through Linkdin job advertisements right?
Nicole Pingon directs lacuna through a blend of traditional Chinese theatre and contemporary humour. There’s a clear vision that at first disarms you as lacuna appears it may be another one-person play, before Hailley Hunt‘s bare, red squared set becomes layered with almost supernatural lighting and sound. Pingon fuses choreography into the foundation of the production, manouevering her actors in and out of celestial spaces with ease.
Morgan Moroney‘s lighting design blends with Sam Cheng‘s composition and sound design to create a transportative experience as Claudia interacts with strands of light, representing the memories of the minds she jumps into. It’s a gorgeous blending of worlds and the precision is clean enough to elicit goosebumps.
As Claudia becomes further skilled in her memory abolishment, she journeys further and further into a desire to rewrite her own past and that of those around her. Her relationship with her mother becomes the centralised conflict, with Loretta Kung delivering a visercal representation of motherhood on the verge of losing memory as well as her relationship with her daughter due to rigid traditionalist views. Meanwhile Dominic Lui‘s acrobatic and sharp comic skills flow in and out of the piece, aiding Claudia’s journey in both the physical and metaphysical realms.
Jiang’s script balances humour and heart, it dives headfirst into the metaphysical elements at play and yet still registers biting comedy that comes at you when you least expect. There’s nods to contemporary films like Inception and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, whilst still entrenching the work in the play’s rich and authentic Chinese culture.
Is lacuna Worth Seeing in Sydney?
Chinese mythology roots lacuna within the contemporary in a mystical dramedy that explores memory and queer acceptance in an eloquently directed cautionary tale. This is not only a stunning new Australian work, it’s a stunning example of independent theatre when given the opportunity from an established company to showcase raw talent.
Tickets and Practical Info for lacuna in Sydney 🎟️
lacuna By Eric Jiang
30 July – 15 August 2026
Downstairs Theatre, Belvoir
Tickets: https://griffintheatre.com.au/whats-on/lacuna/
CAST & CREATIVES
Director Nicole Pingon
Set & Costume Designer Hailley Hunt
Lighting Designer Morgan Moroney
Composer & Sound Designer Sam Cheng
Assistant Lighting Designer Luna Yuet Yee Ng
Creative Producer Zoë Hollyoak
Dramaturg Jules Orcullo
Stage Manager Jonathan Ogilvie
With Dominic Lui, Loretta Kung, Rachel Seeto
An Essential Workers Production
Presented in association with Belvoir St Theatre
