White Pearl

A SAMUEL FRENCH, LTD. TITLE

White Pearl

Full-Length Play, Dark Comedy  /  5w, 1m

In Singapore, Clearday™ has developed from a small startup into a leading international cosmetic brand. But when a draft of the company's latest skin cream advert is leaked, the video goes viral for all the wrong reasons.

Image: 2019 Royal Court Theatre Production (Tristram Kenton)

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    5w, 1m
  • Duration
    Duration
    90 minutes
  • Suggested Use
    • Scene work
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult

Details

Summary

“It's just a fun ad. Now the whole world is going crazy.”

In Singapore, Clearday™ has developed from a small startup into a leading international cosmetic brand in less than a year. But when a draft of the company’s latest skin cream advert is leaked, the video goes viral globally for all the wrong reasons.

YouTube views are in the thousands and keep climbing; anger is building on social media; and journalists are starting to cover the story. This is an international PR nightmare; the company cannot be seen to be racist, they’ve got to get it taken down before America wakes up.

History
White Pearl had a rolling world premiere in three locations around the globe: in May 2019 at the Royal Court Theatre (London) under the direction of Nana Dakin, in October 2019 at Sydney Theatre Company (Sydney) under the direction of Priscilla Jackman, and in November 2019 at Studio Theatre (Washington, D.C.) under the direction of Desdemona Chiang.

PRIYA SINGH – Female. Indian-Singaporean. Mumbai accent, rounded out by years of British education.
SUNNY LEE – Female. Chinese-Singaporean. American dudebro-speak, becomes more Singlish/Hokkien depending on her audience.
RUKI MINAMI – Female. Japanese. Noticeable Japanese accent. Crisp English.
BUILT SUTTIKUL – Female. Thai-American. Californian. Verging on valley-girl.
SOO-JIN PARK – Female. South Korean. Strong Korean accent but excellent English.
XIAO CHEN – Female. Chinese. The weakest English speaker.
MARCEL BENOIT – Male. Strong French accent with fluent-ish English.

All characters are in their mid-twenties / early thirties.

Casting note, courtesy of the author:

“Casting this play is really fucking hard. If you want to put on this play, make sure you have the resources to cast it properly.

Generally speaking, we’ve found that you can be more flexible with the ethnicity of actors playing the 'Westernized' Asians in the team: Priya, Built, to a certain extent Sunny. And of course Marcel. But the actors must have some ethnic or cultural resonance with their character. Have an open dialogue with the actors you’re auditioning, reach out to your local Asian theater community, be culturally cognizant, and just generally don’t be a dick about it.

With the 'homeland' Asians (Ruki, Soo-Jin and Xiao), it is absolutely imperative that the actors be non-native English speakers from the specific cultural background of their characters. Trust me. I’ve seen the alternative. It doesn’t work.

I don’t mind if you move around some of the phraseology but generally speaking, stick to the text. The highly specific language in this play is the result of extensive development, as well as my life experience. There is no one way of speaking Singlish, or Californian English, just as there’s no one way to define 'dudebro-speak'. Collaborate with the actors to determine their character’s idiosyncratic mode of speaking and their level of English fluency, and be open to adjusting this as your process evolves.”

  • Time Period Contemporary
  • Setting Clearday™ Headquarters, Singapore.
  • Features Contemporary Costumes / Street Clothes
  • Additional Features Multimedia
  • Duration 90 minutes
  • Cautions
    • Alcohol
    • Strong Language
    • Mild Adult Themes

Media

“A bracingly funny corporate satire.” – The Guardian

“King’s play brings a ruthless clarity to each line of dialogue – the writing ricochets effortlessly between its characters...King’s assured approach to her female characters – equally magnetic as they are spiky – reflects exactly what makes her play so riveting: the unapologetic display of blemishes and imperfections.” – Time Out

“White Pearl is a little gem. In 90 minutes [it] takes on a wide range of subjects: Corporate hypocrisy, the base values of the beauty business, the frenzy of social media and, not least, mutual suspicion between westernised and homeland Asians.” – The Guardian

White Pearl makes a case that those seeking to make inroads into the Far East, perceiving a new El Dorado, are no better that colonial conquistadors of an earlier age — and entirely unequipped to understand the specifics of a complex cultural region.” – Variety London

“A scathing, gleefully nasty corporate satire” – The Stage

“It has a boldness, ambition and acerbic humour on a scale that makes you sit up and pay attention.” – Time Out

“King’s writing has that quality where almost every line whip-cracks through the air and leaves a welt.” – The Upcoming

Videos

  • Inside White Pearl youtube thumbnail

    Inside White Pearl

  • White Pearl Sizzle Reel - Studio Theatre youtube thumbnail

    White Pearl Sizzle Reel - Studio Theatre

Photos

  • White Pearl

    Image: 2019 Royal Court Theatre Production (Tristram Kenton)

Licensing & Materials



  • This title is not currently available for performance. To be informed as soon as it becomes available in the future, please submit a license application.

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Authors

Anchuli Felicia King

Anchuli Felicia King is a playwright, screenwriter and multidisciplinary artist of Thai-Australian descent. King’s plays have been produced by the Royal Court Theatre (London), Manhattan Theater Club (New York), Studio Theatre (Washington D.C.), American Shakespeare Center (S ...

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