Sydney Theatre Company and
Colonial First State Global Asset Management present
CHIMERICA
By Lucy Kirkwood

Australian premiere

Everybody needs a hero

As tanks roll through Tiananmen Square, a young man holding shopping bags walks out to block their path. In a hotel, a few hundred metres away, a young American photojournalist trains his lens on the scene and captures a piece of history. A hero is born.

Twenty years later, a cryptic message is left in a Beijing newspaper that gives a clue to that hero’s identity. Who was the man in front of the tanks? What happened to him? And could he still be alive?

Inspired by one of the 20th century’s most recognisable images, Lucy Kirkwood’s compelling script premiered at London’s Almeida Theatre before winning an Olivier Award for Best New Play and going on to a West End season. Chimerica tracks two decades of US-China relations alongside the personal stories that exist beyond the margins of history. Filmic in scope, this is both an astounding, globe-trotting thriller and a rich, character-driven drama.

After winning Helpmann Awards in 2016 for both Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor, Mark Leonard Winter (King Lear) returns to STC together with Jason Chong (Netflix’s Marco Polo). Our award-winning Kip Williams (All My Sons) directs a visually enthralling and spectacular production.

"A phenomenon... Puts a whole world on the stage."
The Telegraph, UK