“The production is of the highest standard you will find in Melbourne...”
What does it take to make a home in a country determined to exclude you?
Gold Mountain Wives is a new Australian musical inspired by the overlooked lives of Chinese women in early 20th century Victoria. As Mui’s visa is expiring, the Chinese women in Geelong - all three of them - set out on a bold journey to Melbourne to borrow a ceremonial dragon, in an effort to keep Mui in the country.
Blending humour, friendship, live Chinese instruments and visual storytelling, the work transforms fragments of history into a vivid theatrical adventure. At once intimate and celebratory, Gold Mountain Wives asks who gets remembered, and who gets to belong.
Writer & Composer: Jun Bin Lee
Director: Zya Kane
Creative Producer: Bingyao Liu
Costume & Set Designer: Silvia Shao
Choreographer & Movement Coach: Sarah Yu
Cast: Lauren May Cheok, Lansy Feng, Rebekah Lin
Musicians: Jun Bin Lee, Bingyao Liu, Patrick Neilson
Development Director: Fiona Choi
Music Director: Amelia Lau
Hero Image photographer: Darren Gill
Producer: Small Ripples Theatre
Small Ripples Theatre is a not-for-profit theatre company creating original Australian musicals that centre Asian voices and tell complex stories that spark open and honest conversations. Previous works include The Best Cabinet Maker (2023) and Hidden Tunes (2024–2025), which premiered at La Mama's Mother Tongue Festival and received a Green Room Award nomination.
On Sense of Place, directed by Zya Kane
“Genuinely funny, frequently biting, and yet deeply reflective...”
On Dominion Road the Musical, composed by Jun Bin Lee
“..A dedicated commitment to the diverse cultural storylines..., captured superbly in the show’s score by Jun Bin Lee, confidently embracing cross-cultural musical styles.”
“Musically, it’s exciting in its diversity. The composer and co-lyricist, Jun Bin Lee, uses a variety of rhythms, traditions, and instruments so each of the songs stands apart.”
Racism
Visual Ratings: 50%
Aural Ratings: 50%
Suitable Age: 12+
Click here for more info about Accessibility.
This project is supported by the City of Melbourne Arts Grants, Geelong Arts Centre's Creative Engine, and Robert Salzer Foundation.
La Mama Presents 2027 has been assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body.
