A renowned Chinese restaurant in Birmingham is supporting young actors of Chinese heritage to perform at two festivals next month plus an extra showcase in the Chinese Quarter of Birmingham ahead of the Commonwealth Games.
Ming Moon Birmingham, located at 16 Hurst Street in the Chinese Quarter, is supporting a group of young actors for the forthcoming Radio Public Festival and the Black Country Festival, both of which will take place on 9th July. The actors will then perform a special performance at the National Trust`s Back-to-Backs next to the Birmingham Hippodrome ahead of the Commonwealth Games celebrations.
One of the young actors is 17 year old Chi Lam, an aspiring actor, currently studying Drama A Levels at Bromsgrove School. "I have been performing in school productions" he said "and also recently worked with the movie company Silent D Pictures. I have acted in movies such as Rupture, Dig Me No Grave and Thirteen Cars". Chi Lam is working as an extra for the BBC at the moment in between school work and preparing for university. "I`m an extra for the new series on the BBC called Phoenix Rise" he said.
Other young actors include Andy Chan, Julie Ym Phung, Vy-Ng and Leona Leung who are alumni of New Earth Academy at the Birmingham Hippodrome and Angela Qi Huang from Chinese Active Citizens, Manyee Yiu, Cindy Millman, Susan Vickers and Laura Liptrot.
Directing and production is by Phil Liptrot of A Comedy Theatre Group. The play, written by Ian Henery, is entitled Coming to Birmingham: Making Of A Modern City and is the second in a trilogy of plays for China West Midlands. The first play, The Chinese Labour Corps, was set during the First World War. It had a successful week-long run at The Blue Orange Theatre in February and was part of Chinese New Year Festival Online 2022.
"The second play has the time line 1940/50s" explained Ian Henery "and looks at issues of identity, family and sacrifice from British and Chinese socio-economic perspectives. It`s a positive story of integration and offers a firm defence of the principles of equality and diversity. The play shows why open, mixed society is the way forward for 21st century cities and how migrants help modern Britain not only survive but prosper".
Dorian Chan, owner of the Ming Moon, believes in championing the local community and helping to make Birmingham a modern diverse city. "Since Chinese New Year the reopening of theatres, restaurants, offices and property investment has gone with a bang" said Dorian Chan.
"I am very optimistic about Chinatown`s future" she said. Birmingham is such a vibrant city and has so much going for it with the Commonwealth Games, HS2 and of course, a very strong Chinatown - the beating heart of the city".
