White Pearl

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

In Singapore, Clearday™ has developed from a small start-up company to 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.

“It’s on BUZZFEED. It’s on BUZZFEED. We’re not defending it.”

White Pearl marks writer Anchuli Felicia King’s international playwriting debut. She is a New York-based, multidisciplinary artist of Thai-Australian descent. Director Nana Dakin has previously assisted on Mary Jane (New York Theater Workshop, where she is a Directing Fellow) and Wild Goose Dreams (Public, NYC).

White Pearl: A Conversation
Thu 30 May 8pm (free but ticketed)
A discussion group for people of Asian heritage who have seen White Pearl to talk about the play and the issues it deals with, including racism, colourism, anti-blackness, and class. Facilitated by Ava Wong Davies, Daniel York Loh, and Wei Ming Kam.

Theatre Dialogue Club: White Pearl 
Wed 12 Jun 7.45pm (free but ticketed)
Dialogue Theatre Club is open to anyone who likes watching theatre and chatting about it too. It’s a bit like a book group, but for plays: you buy your own ticket to see the show when suits you, then return to the theatre on the day of the club to discuss it with other audience-members. Co-hosted by Maddy Costa and Rhiannon Armstrong.

White Pearl by Anchuli Felicia King was developed with the assistance of Roundabout Theatre, Yellow Earth Theatre and Playwriting Australia’s National Play Festival 2018.