A sumptuous audio-visual experience and song cycle by award-winning vocalist, producer and multi-disciplinary artist Rainbow Chan 陳雋然.

Drawing on her Weitou ancestry (first settlers of Hong Kong), Chan reimagines a Weitou ritual known as the bridal lament, a public performance of grief in which a bride wept and sang in front of family and friends. In this liminal space, brides expressed bitterness towards their arranged marriages and the prevailing patriarchal rule.  

Conceived and structured as a song cycle, The Bridal Lament brings to life intergenerational and cross-cultural perspectives on diasporic experiences and the complex history of Hong Kong. With a new suite of songs by Chan and direction from Contemporary Asian Australian Performance’s Artistic Director Tessa Leong, this lush and lavish work pays homage to ritual in a vibrant and dynamic world of projection, movement and colour.  

Rainbow Chan’s music and shows have been hailed as ‘genre-bending art pop’ (NME) and ‘bewitchingly elfin in the exactly the same way that those words have been used to describe Bjork.’ (The Music). The Bridal Lament, her debut solo theatre work, shares its name with her forthcoming album. Watch the clip from its first single, Seven Sisters.

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All remaining tickets $29*

*Not valid for previously purchased tickets. Transaction fee applies.

Rainbow Chan in profile, looking to one side. She is standing in front of neon lights that bleed red and purple colour into the background. She has large, glistening tears made from wax that sit on her cheeks beneath her eye. Rainbow is adorned with an ornate bejewelled headpiece that shimmers with gold and pearls.
Photography: Joseph Mayers
The Bridal Lament, Rainbow Chan, Adelaide Festival Centre 2023 © Sia Duff
Photography: Joseph Mayers
Photography: Joseph Mayers
The Bridal Lament, Rainbow Chan, Adelaide Festival Centre 2023 © Sia Duff
Photography: Joseph Mayers
Photography: Joseph Mayers

Theatre Matters

"High production standards and values will delight the audience while presenting a slice of historical tradition in a way that is entertaining and enlightening."

Theatre Thoughts

"Ambitious beautiful and engaging...Chan’s voice is honeyed and mellifluous."

ABC Arts

"...a celestial blend of pop electronica and Weitou melodies."

Glam Adelaide

"The laments themselves are worth the price of admission on their own: beautifully sung, moving and authentic."

Cast & Credits

Lead Artist and Performer Rainbow Chan 陳雋然
Director Tessa Leong
Choreographic Consultants Amrita Hepi and Victoria Hunt
Video Design Rel Pham
Set Design Al Joel and Emily Borghi
Costume Design Al Joel
Lighting Concept Govin Ruben
Lighting Realisers: Susie Henderson and Sam Read
Cultural Consultant and Narrator: Irene Cheung 張翠屏
Video Programmer: Daniel Herten

SUPPORTED BY 

The Bridal Lament was co-commissioned by Performance Space as part of Liveworks Festival 2023 and OzAsia Festival 2023, with commissioning support from Carriageworks and the City of Melbourne through Arts House. Supported by George Paramananthan and ParmCo.

ACCESSIBILITY

The Bridal Lament is primarily in English but with sections spoken in Cantonese and translated with surtitles.

Wheelchair accessible

Companion Card accepted

Assistive Hearing system available (FM)

Find out more about accessibility at Riverside Theatres

Additional Ticketing Information

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