Congratulations, get rich!(恭喜发财, 人日快乐)

Sydney Theatre Company, December 2025

The review - a quick reflection at the end of the year

An international co-production with La Boite Theatre and Singapore Repertory Theatre.

This is a semi-autobiographical story, in a way a continuation of an excellent, poignant, sharp, dense with family issues but still fun "Golden Blood".

This show is, for me, a way too much of a replacement for some sort of counseling, if not more serious psych assistance. A ghostly story set in a freshly opened karaoke bar is about meeting three generations of women, two of those came from the other side.It is spooky at times with mirrors and sketchy moves and sounds. The set is rich, bright, bold, as the costumes of the women. There are stories told in songs and dancing, and that is entertaining, smart and performed greatly.The subject though is deep and harsh. Broken relationships with mothers, suicide in both generations. A horrific coincidence - committed at the same age. And the day of the karaoke opening is a birthday of the youngest, and the number is that very cursed. These plot lines are bold, and despite the resolution offered by the ending, they might seriously shake anyone who has clear or suppresses memories of their own mothers.It would be the show with the highest rating of the content warnings, from my view.

Creative team

Designer James Lew

Lighting Designer Gabriel Chan 

Composer & Sound Designer Guy Webster 

Dramaturg Jules Orcullo

Music Director Alex Van den Broek

Fight & Intimacy Director NJ Price

Cast

Merlynn Tong @merlynntong, Zac Boulton, Kimie Tsukakoshi, Seong Hui Xuan