Xana Tang and Zak Enayat as Zoe and Paul in Auckland Theatre Firm’s upcoming season of Single Asian Feminine. Photograph / Sacha Stejko
Actors Xana Tang and Zak Enayat are set to warmth up the stage in Single Asian Feminine later this month, on the ASB Waterfront Theatre.
After sold-out seasons over the Ditch, the Auckland Theatre Firm has made a stirring, bawdy, knockout model of the Australian hit and relocated the play to Aotearoa, telling the story from a Chinese language New Zealand household’s perspective, shifting the setting from the Gold Coast to Mount Maunganui.
Written by award-winning Chinese language-Australian author Michelle Regulation, Single Asian Feminine has gained applause for its authenticity, humour, tragedy and singalong karaoke tunes.
Tang, who starred in Disney’s Mulan, performs classical violinist Zoe - one in all two daughters of a first-generation Chinese language immigrant and a single mom who’s struggling to maintain her restaurant afloat.
Within the first rehearsal Tang and Enayat, who performs Zoe’s love curiosity, Paul, say the chemistry was electrical.
“Zak and I really did a chemistry learn for our remaining call-back audition and it went so properly we have been hi-fiving one another out the hallway,” Tang informed Spy. “Zak is extremely likeable and it isn’t troublesome to fall in love with him on stage.”
Enayat says their first scene is a bed room one and is steamier than the dumplings being cooked within the household restaurant downstairs.
“Zoe and Paul have each been on a string of different unsavoury dates and are very suitable in a number of methods, so once they meet it is electrical,” Enayat says.
“I lately admitted to Xana that I’m an enormous fangirl of hers. It helps as a result of I get to channel my admiration for Xana by means of Paul, in direction of Zoe.”
With the present motion within the States, Cease Asian Hate, each actors hope audiences have some takeaways from the play.
“Stereotypes are harmful, not as a result of they don’t seem to be true, however since you get an incomplete story and see it from just one perspective,” Tang stated.
“I hope audiences will giggle throughout our present and cry once they go dwelling and join the dots. I hope they get pleasure from recognising themselves in these characters and conditions. I hope they proceed to assist us and change into vocal about seeing totally different cultures on stage and on display,” she says.
Enayat stated a number of the play’s values and beliefs weren’t particular to anybody race or background.
“They’re common. It is a reminder that in a number of methods, we’re all the identical. For anybody subscribing to basic stereotypes primarily based on race - it is a chance to broaden your information, and your empathy,” he stated.
