'The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step… But the more I move forward, the more I feel like turning back.'
It's 1857, and the Australian Gold Rush is booming. Thirteen-year-old Yong and his father leave their small village in Guangdong, China, to cross the seas in search of fortune in the goldfields of Ballarat. But Yong doesn't want to be on this journey.
Despite wanting to make his father proud, and to help feed his family, there's a deep resentment simmering beneath the surface—and a longing for home.
As Yong faces the harsh realities of this strange new land, his courage and inner strength are put to the test. Through these hardships, he begins to discover a resilience he never knew he had.
JENEVIEVE CHANG is a writer, performer and story developer for stage and screen. Her memoir The Good Girl of Chinatown was published by Penguin Random House in 2017 and Jenevieve’s playwriting debut, Yong, won the 2023 Sydney Theatre Award for Best Production for Children. Jenevieve has also written a number of radio plays for ABC Radio National. Jenevieve was most recently Development Executive at ABC Drama & Comedy, where her credits include House of Gods (2023), White Fever (2024) and the hit comedy Austin (2024). Prior to that, Jenevieve was Development Executive at Screen Australia. As a performer, Jenevieve has worked with Malthouse Theatre, Bell Shakespeare, Griffin Theatre and Monkey Baa Theatre in Australia; and The National Theatre, The Young Vic, Yellow Earth Theatre, Chopped Logic and Fran Barbe Dance in the UK. Between 2008–2011, Jenevieve lived and worked in Shanghai where she was one of the founding members of China’s first Vaudeville, Variety and Burlesque clubs. Jenevieve is currently BA Discipline Lead for Screenwriting at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School.
| Cast Info | 1M, (doubling available) |
| Genres | Adaptations, Australian History, Drama, Epic, Poetic, YA/Children's Theatre |
| Themes | Multicultural themes, Solo Performer |
| Audiences | Secondary: Years 10-12, Secondary: Years 7-9, Young Adult, Secondary: Years 7-10 |
| Extent | 48 |
| Edition | Standard |
| Size | 137 x 210 mm |
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