Skyduck: A Chinese Spy Comedy

Skyduck: A Chinese Spy Comedy

Ten years after emerging out of Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School as a 20-minute graduation showing, the fully fledged Skyduck: A Chinese Comedy makes a spectacular homecoming. Auckland Arts Festival is proud to finally present the Aotearoa premiere of Sam Wang’s bilingual action spy comedy.

A quirky and irrelevant parody of China’s top secret agents trying to steal America’s top-secret fighter jet software in the early 1990s – all while Australia was busy preparing for the Sydney Olympics – Skyduck tracks China’s ambitious, ‘fictional’ attempt to steal America’s most prized flight simulation software via their brightest secret agents, Captain Yan and Agent Change. After launching an audacious hack into the Royal Australian Aerobatic Squadron, they find themselves trapped by a hotshot NSA agent, Commander Kendrick. His plan? To destroy China’s military ambition once and for all… through Inception.

Creator Sam Wang plays seven hilarious characters from a lovestruck Chinese secret agent to a dazzling J-Pop starlet to a foulmouthed Australian aeronautic choreographer – and performs the story in both English and Mandarin (with surtitles).

“The show is basically an excuse to create a low-fi, Top Gun dogfight on stage with cheesy ‘Boom, Boom! Bang, Bang!’ acting,” says Wang. “Like, literally going ‘Boom, Boom! Bang, Bang!’ and pretending to be in a fighter jet… that’s the level of this show!”

Featuring an outrageous mix of AV, puppets and musical numbers, Skyduck hysterically recreates the action genre on stage utilising every DIY theatre trick in the book. Wang calls it “a love letter to the action spy movies I grew up with, in an East meets West mash-up that celebrates everything theatre can achieve. And some things it can’t.”

Directed by Australian actor and creator Aileen Huynh, Skyduck premiered at Sydney’s acclaimed Belvoir St Theatre to rave reviews as part of their independent 25A Season in 2019. It was mentioned in Timeout and Audrey Journal as one of Sydney’s best stage shows of 2019 and earnt Wang a nomination for “Best Lead Actor in an Independent Production” at the Sydney Theatre Awards 2019.

“One of the most satisfying feedback we’ve consistently received from the show is that it’s just as funny for Mandarin and non-Mandarin speaking audiences alike,’ say director Huynh.

“And that and it’s utterly original and bonkers without being alienating, elitist or dumbed down.”

Writer / Performer / Producer

Sam Wang

Director / Co-producer

Aileen Huynh

Production Manager

Andrew Potvin

Lighting Designer

Kelsey Lee

Operator / Stage Manager

Paul Bennett

Surtitles / Stage Manager

Amanda Grace Leo

1hr no interval

Suitable for ages 13+

Contains occasional strong language, strobe lighting and smoke/haze effects

World Premiere: 11 July 2019, Belvoir St Theatre Sydney, Australia

SKYDUCK HAS RECEIVED DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT FROM Crack Festival, National Theatre of Parramatta, 25A at Belvoir St Theatre and Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School

SKYDUCK AT AAF

WITH SUPPORT FROM

SAM WANG was born in Wuhan, China before moving to Australia at the age of six. He studied filmmaking and law at the University of Technology, Sydney before training as an actor at Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School.

His screen credits include New Gold Mountain (SBS), Life is Easy (TVNZ on Demand), Hope & Wire (TVNZ) and Runaway Millionaires (TVNZ). Theatre credits include The Chairs (Rui Taitea Creative), The Mooncake & The Kūmara (Oryza and Betsy & Mana; Auckland Arts Festival 2015) and Down Beneath Below (Java Dance Company).

In addition to his nomination for Best Lead Actor in an Independent Production at the Sydney Theatre Awards 2019, Wang rounded off the year off by winning South Pacific Picture’s Big Pitch Competition at SPADA 2019 for his half-hour TV comedy, Homebound 3.0

Developed by Kevin & Co and funded by NZ On Air, Homebound 3.0 is an eight-episode comedy about about a 30-something single and struggling writer, Henry (played by Wang), who moves back in with his Chinese parents. When extended family members play matchmaker, he makes a pact with Melissa, his match, and the pair embark on a fake relationship to keep their respective parents happy. Also starring Michelle Ang and Kimberley Crossman, Homebound is scheduled to premiere on Three in March 2023.

Wang has also practiced law for several years and holds a Master of Commerce (Finance) from the University of New South Wales.

AILEEN HUYNH is a director, content creator and actor. She is a graduate from The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), and also holds a Bachelor of Creative Arts in Performance from The University of Wollongong.

In 2019, she made her theatrical directorial debut with Skyduck: A Chinese Spy Comedy. As a content creator, she has worked independently on comedy skit videos and was nominated for the 2014 Australian Online Video Award. Her current content work is on YouTube under her alter ego Mad Doctor.

Huynh made her acting debut in SBS’ critically acclaimed mini-series Better Man opposite Bryan Brown and David Wenham. Her other screen credits include Neighbours, Black Comedy 3, The Commons, Spin Out and series one and two of ABC’s Cleverman

Huynh is also a regular in Australian theatres. Credits include David Williamson’s The Big Time at Ensemble Theatre, Branden JacobJenkins’ Gloria at Melbourne Theatre Company, and Flight Paths for National Theatre of Parramatta. She has done national tours of Critical Stages’ 4000 Miles and Performing Lines’ Hello Goodbye & Happy Birthday, which received a Helpmann nomination.

Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki / Auckland Arts Festival (AAF) champions change-making, the environment, ambitious ideas, powerful voices and unique experiences that open our eyes, our hearts and our minds.

The Festival takes place each March in New Zealand’s largest city, and reflects its contemporary, multicultural nature.

AAF challenges its community to be courageous, to be bold, and to explore new ways of reflecting the world around us.

Through the incredible work of artists here in Aotearoa and across the globe, we aim to unify, uplift and inspire our audiences – the people of Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa and all who visit.

Board of Trustees /

Te Poari Kaitiaki

John Judge (Chair)

Angela Clatworthy

Evan Davies

Eleshea D’Souza

Sarah Judkins

Graham Tipene

Fred Ward

Angela Watson

Chief Executive /

Kaiwhakahaere Matua

Robbie Macrae

Artistic Director / Kaitohu Toi

Shona McCullagh mnzm

Kaihautū Māori

Ataahua Papa

CORPORATE PATRONS

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Patrons

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Rochelle McLaren

BRONZE

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Frances Bell

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Anonymous

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