David Henry Hwang’s Award-winning ‘Yellow Face’ at Park Theatre, London

David Henry Hwang’s Obie Award-winning Pulitzer prize finalist play Yellow Face will run until 21 June, at the purpose built state-of-the-art Park Theatre in North London. A fast paced and timely comedy-drama, Yellow Face is a response to the 1990s Broadway protests which followed the controversial casting of Welsh actor Jonathan Pryce in the lead Eurasian role in Cameron Mackintosh’s hit transfer of Miss Saigon.

In Yellow Face, art imitates life to great and amusing effect in a play which tackles the issues of identity and race whilst still managing to be hilarious. David Henry Hwang casts himself as the main protagonist, ‘DHH’. After becoming the ‘public face of the opposition’ in the Miss Saigon debacle, DHH later becomes embroiled in his own casting drama when he mistakenly chooses a Caucasian actor (Marcus), for the lead Asian role of his own play, Face Value.

Commenting on the forthcoming premiere of Yellow face at Park Theatre, David Henry Hwang says: “I couldn’t be more excited about the upcoming UK premiere of Yellow Face at Park Theatre. Particularly in light of recent casting controversies regarding East Asian actors, I hope the play will give us a chance to laugh together, as we explore the complicated question of what it means to ‘play’ another race — onstage, as well as in life. I’m also looking forward to reconnecting with British audiences, more than 20 years after M. Butterfly”

David Yip plays DHH’s father, ‘HYH’. David is well known for creating the role of Detective Sergeant John Ho in the series, The Chinese Detective for the BBC in the early eighties. During his career he has worked extensively across theatre and film. Plays include The Bomb (Tricycle) Fit and Proper (RSC/ Soho Theatre) Turandot (Hampstead Theatre) and The King and I (Royal Albert Hall).