New Earth Theatre and Storyhouse in association with Arcola Theatre present WORTH
Written by Joanne Lau and Directed by Mingyu Lin Worth which is inspired by true events, takes a darkly comic look at family loss and sibling rivalry. Straddling two cultures, this biting new comedy asks the question – where do you put your worth?
Hours before their mother’s funeral, the Yeung siblings gather in the family home for the first time in years, only to discover their inheritance is missing. With seemingly only £44 cash to her name and her house due to be repossessed, where has all the money gone? Tensions escalate as they race to find it, uncovering ugly truths and shocking family secrets along the way.
It is currently running at the Arcola Theatre in London until 29th of April 2023.
The Artiscape spoke with Arthur Lee who plays Jacob.
What attracted you to the script?
Lee: I read it from beginning to end without stopping, which is a rare thing for me, and – again for me – a strong indication of the play’s potential. I also admired the universality of the story. It’s based on a Chinese family, but the themes and plots could be traversed and understood anywhere, at any time. It was also an exciting proposition for me particularly because I hadn’t done stage work for years and I’ve been longing for it since. And so far, just a few weeks into rehearsals, it has been everything I had yearned for and much more. It’s a real testament to the rich, creative environment New Earth Theatre has cultivated.
Can you tell us about the character you play?
Lee: Jacob is a strong but highly volatile character. I imagine he’s the sort of person you might find yourself unconsciously on high alert with. Unless of course he wants something from you, in which case he will relax, charm, manipulate or gaslight you to no end until he gets what he wants. He’s like a knife – effective and sometimes cool and shiny, but spend enough time with him and eventually, at some point – intentionally or not – he will hurt you. Actually, even if you weren’t interested, this knife might threaten you to use it, hurt you while you’re using it, and then blame it on you.
What are the challenges in playing this character?
Lee: While learning Jacob, I discovered there were quite a few things about him that rang close to things in me – be it personality traits or experience-wise; things that I’d “packed away” for a while as they were seemingly toxic to my lifestyle at the time. The process of “unpacking” those things in order to give life to a character can be a challenging exercise, but done slowly and conscientiously – in the safe space of Mingyu Lin’s rehearsal room – it can be a hugely rewarding and pleasurable one.
What are you looking forward to in performing in this play?
Lee: I am looking forward to breathing and living through Joanne Lau’s riveting writing, together with an incredibly talented cast, seven times a week, across two uniquely enchanting theatres – and taking each and every single one of our dear and loving audiences along for an exhilarating ride. There isn’t much more than that, really.
What do you think an audience will take away from the production?
Lee: You will be entertained. If not, I may be forced to re-enact Russell Crowe’s famous retort to an unresponsive audience as seen in The Gladiator. There will be laughter; there will be tears; there will be pain, and healing; there will be carnage. And if that’s not enough I will throw my sword at you! On a more serious note, I don’t usually have an agenda for my audience when I perform. I tend to trust that would be well considered in the mission statements of the writer and/or director. I’ll be busy keeping things real and holding the door open for our audiences to step right in.
For more information about this play and to book tickets please visit this link.
