Behind the scenes with Yanni Ng
We interviewed the cast and crew of Another Life to offer a sneak peek into the characters, the writing process and more.
Yanni Ng wrote and directed Another Life.
Where did the idea for Another Life come from?
The idea of the play came naturally during a discussion we had after our first pitch meeting with Karen. We wanted to create something that ESEA (East and Southeast Asian) audiences can enjoy and relate to, yet also something we wanted to see ourselves. With these ideas in mind, and after a weekend brainstorming session, we came to the conclusion that we wanted to incorporate the voices and experiences of ESEA people in Manchester and elevate what might appear as ordinary stories on stage.
What was your writing process like?
It was very collaborative. Me and Haley knew we wanted to work on a show together since we first met back in 2017, and we made sure to split the workload evenly. Regarding the structure of the piece, we instinctively knew we wanted a range of people and ages, ending with a story that can encompass the main theme of the show: what it means to belong in a place far away from home. Therefore, we compiled a series of questions into an online survey open to everyone from the ESEA community.
We started by sorting the answers we鈥檝e received into age groups and by thematic similarities. For example, all the testimonies we used in the Jamie character section were by students and respondents currently at university. Looking at the range of lived experiences, we organised the play鈥檚 general arc and direction: what was the opening, the rising action, climax, and denouement?
This took several days of workshopping where we organised different sequences and determined what we thought was best with help from our dramaturg, Linnae Abraham.
Afterwards, we started taking direct quotes from these responses and built a narrative arc around it: how do these individual sections function on their own as monologues? How are the aesthetics of each character different from one another? Do they view the world differently? Are the movement sequences or dialogues literal or metaphorical?
It was crucial for us to depict how the characters view the world and find a thematic through-line between them to make the show cohesive.
What are the challenges of writing and directing a verbatim-inspired play?
On the directing side, it was important that the characters felt like real people, not characters. Though the world around them and the presentation of these stories might be stylised, the actors鈥� performances had to be grounded in reality. There鈥檚 definitely a pressure to present these stories taken directly from people we knew or from complete strangers with respect and care.
It was important to me to ensure that the actors knew the gravity of the situation and to work closely with them to develop or understand their character鈥檚 backstories, histories and how they can tie an element or idea to their own experiences as ESEA people.
Tell us a bit about the characters?
Jamie Leung is from Hong Kong who has come to the UK to pursue her studies. Having gotten used to her routine and structured lifestyle back home, she鈥檚 struggling to navigate the hectic first months here.
Celia Xie has a deep love of travelling; however, an incident causes her to stay in the UK longer than she expected. For someone who cannot stay in one place too long, how does she manage to build a life in a place she鈥檚 never anticipated to be in?
Joey Yang feels as if they鈥檙e being pulled in two directions: they鈥檙e too British to be Chinese and too Chinese to be British. We watch them try and discover what their identity is and what it means to belong - is it as simple as they believed?
Who would you like to see in the audience and what would you like them to take away from the experience (without revealing any spoilers!)?
It鈥檇 be amazing to see a variety of ESEA audience members who can hopefully take away something from the performance, whether that be a direct experience that they can relate to, or something that reminds them of someone else they know.
What do you find most exciting about this play?
The movement and dance sequences! They鈥檙e all quite different from each other and all the actors have a moment to shine.
Tell us a little-known fact about yourself?
I鈥檇 love to be able to sing or perform in a musical capacity. I鈥檝e been writing songs for quite some time, and it鈥檇 be great to find an opportunity to do so again!
What should people who enjoyed this play and are interested in Chinese culture see next? Any plays or films you would recommend?
Keep an eye out for ESEA performers and shows from New Earth Theatre, Papergang Theatre, or the newly established Horizons Collective. Recently, there was a Scratch Night done by this year鈥檚 New Earth Academy Plus cohort at The Lowry which showcased incredible snippets of works curated and performed by ESEA creatives in Manchester. Also, East by Southeast (ExSE) is a great collective showcasing the talents of ESEA creatives across theatre, film, and television.