1904, Teatro alla Scala, Milan. An Italian opera set in Japan. White performers use makeup to look Asian and pretend to be Japanese. The Japanese woman kills herself at the end. 2024, the Royal Opera House, London. The same thing is still happening.
And this is the part where I come in. Joey Jepps—half Japanese, half British. So… what now?
Madama Butterfly will always be on. Our show isn’t going to change that. But join us for an hour as I navigate how to love within its shadow.
As a self-proclaimed cultural mess, SO THAT YOU MAY GO BEYOND THE SEA is my attempt to understand who I am, where I came from and where I’m going. In order to do this, we look at my parents’ story - how my white dad met my Japanese mum and what their story says about Puccini’s orientalist opera.
...my mother wouldn't understand this show. That’s alright. It’s not for her. I would argue It’s not even for all Asians.
How successful am I at achieving this? I’m still not sure.
What I do know, though, is that my mother wouldn't understand this show. That’s alright. It’s not for her. I would argue It’s not even for all Asians. This show is for those of us that left home to go beyond the sea, living under the white gaze for the first time.
That being said, this is a show about “whiteness” as much as it is about being Asian. I am just half of a double act, completed by my partner in crime, Gabriele Uboldi. They are the personification of allyship, and their perspective on our identities has truly helped us piece together this complicated puzzle.
Together, we have something to say. And we need our audience to listen.
SO THAT YOU MAY GO BEYOND THE SEA runs at Camden People's Theatre from 2 to 4 May, 9:00pm. Limited tickets available here: https://cptheatre.co.uk/whatson/So-That-You-May-Go-Beyond-The-Sea
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