Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta (NTofP) and Merrigong Theatre Company is thrilled to present the world premiere of A Practical Guide to Self Defence, a poignant perspective on “how to defeat the beast within”, at Riverside Theatres from 20th to 29th October 2022 and 9th to 12th November 2022 at Illawarra Performing Arts Centre.

A Practical Guide to Self Defence is a witty and action-packed account of growing up Asian in ‘80s Australia. Part play, part instructional guide, it is sprinkled with practical demonstrations, like how to trip and how to fall as we hurtle towards our existential contradiction–defeating the beast within.

Australian-Chinese playwright, Hung-Yen Yang, deftly blends creative storytelling, martial arts and multimedia, as he takes us on a time-travelling journey with his younger self to witness his unlikely transformation from pacifist, asthmatic geek to brutal fighting machine.

Starring Alan Zhu (STC’s Death of a Salesman) and Edric Hong (Bowie Productions and Chippen St Theatre’s Love Addict), this modern, funny, and deeply relatable play examines how everyday racism over the decades shapes decisions both good and bad.