Hong Kong theatre-maker Mo, Yan Chi Lai brings her acclaimed solo performance Women in Red to the 2025 Melbourne Fringe Festival in a new English-language version. Running 15–19 October at the Festival Hub, Trades Hall, the work offers Melbourne audiences an evocative exploration of womanhood, memory and cultural change.
First staged in 2012, Women in Red has become a modern classic in Hong Kong’s theatre scene, praised for its empathy and layered storytelling. The piece blends documentary theatre, monologue and physical performance, with Lai shifting between voices across generations—from a young daughter growing up in a single-parent household to an elderly matriarch looking back on her past.
The title draws on the tradition of rice wine kept aside until a daughter’s marriage, a metaphor for stories distilled and strengthened by time. For Lai, the work is both intimate and political, connecting personal family histories to wider questions of gender and society.
“I’m thrilled to bring ‘Women in Red’ to Melbourne in a form that honours its Cantonese roots while opening up new spaces for English-speaking audiences to connect,” says Lai. “These stories – like the rice wine reserved for a daughter’s wedding – have matured over time, and I can’t wait for Melbourne audiences to taste their depth.”
Presented as part of Melbourne Fringe’s commitment to experimentation and inclusivity, the show opens a dialogue between Hong Kong and Australia while asking audiences to approach unfamiliar experiences with curiosity and compassion.
Women in Red runs Wednesday 15 to Saturday 18 October at 6pm, and Sunday 19 October at 5pm at Trades Hall. Tickets are $59, with discounts available via Melbourne Fringe. Booking: melbournefringe.com.au/whats-on/events/women-in-red
