"I like to be good at things. Or I avoid things if I'm not."
Inspired by the death of her father, Michele Lee, Hmong-Australian playwright, screenwriter, and RMIT PhD candidate, weaves together the many lives and deaths that have shaped her over the years. With a mix of poignant reflection and sharp wit, she grapples with tough questions about acceptance, regret, and the messiness of grief. The play blends moments of profound sadness with humour, 90s nostalgia, fan art, and Lee's signature observational flair alongside spectacular immersive video art from Vanghoua Anthony Vue.
"I can chart my career, maybe my life, according to Chris Pang's fame."
Known for her unpredictable and unconventional approach to storytelling, Lee pushes the boundaries of her craft in this new work, challenging both herself and her audience to reconsider how we approach death and grief. Can these universal experiences be meaningful, even creative?
"Dad's Hmong name was Chu, by the way. At work, people called him John."
'These Other Things' is led by a Hmong team of creatives - the Hmong are a community of 4000 people in Australia, and in Hmong culture the spiritual is every day and death is always present.
With humour and depth, the play tackles everything from the harsh realities of serious illness and the shock of sudden loss to the strange comfort of Princess Diana's "relatability" and the oddly healing powers of Paul Hollywood's banoffee pie.
Creative team:
- Writer, Performer and Co-Director Michele Lee
- Co-Director and Dramaturg Claire Granata
- Video Artist Vanghoua Anthony Vue
- Lighting Designer Rob Curulli
- Sound Artist Rafe Yang
- Outside Eye Darren Thao
- Creative Development student intern Yiming Wei
- Communications student intern Shilo Saker
- Creative Producer Helen Withycombe
- Technical Production Coordinator Simon Maisch
- And special guests
Supported by RMIT's Capitol Innovation Fund, RMIT Culture and Canberra Theatre Centre's New Works Program.
