Shanghai Dolls

'Stick a woman in fatigues, put a wrench in her hand, an axe, a machine gun – they're just props, unless she can live her life freely – take lovers, have abortions, make art not babies!'

Two penniless actresses meet at auditions for a production of Ibsen's A Doll's House in Shanghai – and they quickly become inseparable.

As political upheaval rips through China, their tumultuous friendship will alter not only the course of their lives, but the course of history. One will become China's first female theatre director. The other, the architect of the Cultural Revolution.

Amy Ng's play Shanghai Dolls tells the untold true story of two of the most influential women in Chinese history – Madame Mao and Sun Weishi – and how the personal truly is political. It opened at Kiln Theatre, London, in 2025, in association with Paines Plough, directed by Katie Posner.

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Shanghai Dolls

'Stick a woman in fatigues, put a wrench in her hand, an axe, a machine gun – they're just props, unless she can live her life freely – take lovers, have abortions, make art not babies!'

Two penniless actresses meet at auditions for a production of Ibsen's A Doll's House in Shanghai – and they quickly become inseparable.

As political upheaval rips through China, their tumultuous friendship will alter not only the course of their lives, but the course of history. One will become China's first female theatre director. The other, the architect of the Cultural Revolution.

Amy Ng's play Shanghai Dolls tells the untold true story of two of the most influential women in Chinese history – Madame Mao and Sun Weishi – and how the personal truly is political. It opened at Kiln Theatre, London, in 2025, in association with Paines Plough, directed by Katie Posner.

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Shanghai Dolls

Shanghai Dolls

by Amy Ng
Shanghai Dolls

Shanghai Dolls

by Amy Ng

eBook

$20.49 

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Overview

'Stick a woman in fatigues, put a wrench in her hand, an axe, a machine gun – they're just props, unless she can live her life freely – take lovers, have abortions, make art not babies!'

Two penniless actresses meet at auditions for a production of Ibsen's A Doll's House in Shanghai – and they quickly become inseparable.

As political upheaval rips through China, their tumultuous friendship will alter not only the course of their lives, but the course of history. One will become China's first female theatre director. The other, the architect of the Cultural Revolution.

Amy Ng's play Shanghai Dolls tells the untold true story of two of the most influential women in Chinese history – Madame Mao and Sun Weishi – and how the personal truly is political. It opened at Kiln Theatre, London, in 2025, in association with Paines Plough, directed by Katie Posner.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781788508599
Publisher: Hern, Nick Books
Publication date: 04/10/2025
Series: NHB Modern Plays
Sold by: Bookwire
Format: eBook
Pages: 80
File size: 971 KB

About the Author

Amy Ng is a writer and historian whose plays include Shangri-La (Finborough Theatre, London), Acceptance (Hampstead Theatre) and an adaptation of Miss Julie (Chester Storyhouse; UK tour; Singapore Repertory Theatre; and a bilingual version for the Hong Kong International Arts Festival).


Amy Ng is a writer whose plays include: Shanghai Dolls (Paines Plough & Kiln Theatre, London, 2025); Shangri-La (Finborough Theatre, London, 2016); Shoes (Soho Theatre); Special Occasions (St. James Theatre and Arcola Theatre) and A Little Night Music (Bread and Roses Theatre and The Space).

She is also a historian with a research interest in multinational empires, imperial decline, and nationality conflict, and is the author of Nationalism and Political Liberty (Oxford University Press).

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