Through a bit of time travel trickery orchestrated by her friend Linh (Chua-Tran), who is introduced to the audience as a banana (both figuratively and literally), Lucy finds herself back at Laurinda. Here, Lucy is first introduced to us as a 38-year-old woman in the present, having realised her childhood ambition to become a schoolteacher. The play isn’t a faithful retelling of Pung’s novel, but that’s not a problem. As she finds herself having to navigate the unspoken social rules that permeate the lives of the upper class, Lucy finds a friend in Katie (Fiona Choi), who is looked down upon by “The Cabinet” – a trio of girls (played by Gemma Chua-Tran, Chi Nguyen and Jenny Zhou) who hold social power purely due to their family connections. She leaves her public school friends behind and attempts to start on a new path in life among girls of a different upbringing.
When Lucy receives a scholarship to attend the prestigious Laurinda Ladies College, her world changes. Lucy Lam (Ngoc Phan) is a bright young lady from the fictional suburb of Stanley, where her father works at a carpet factory and her mother does so-called “home duties” as an outworker while caring for her baby brother.
The latter experience forms the basis of Laurinda, a new play co-written by comedian Diana Nguyen and Petra Kalive (who also directed), adapted from the award-winning 2014 young adult novel of the same name by acclaimed author Alice Pung. For some it’s easy – a romp, a popularity contest to be won, a time of growth for others, it is a minefield, impossible to know where and how to tread. “A candid and powerful exploration of family, culture and class … it is those of us who take our fortune and privilege for granted that I wish would read this powerful book.S chool. “Exquisitely sharp” - Books of the Year, the Age “Biting yet compassionate” - Books of the Year, Australian Book Review “In her debut novel successfully dramatizes the high stakes when an impoverished Chinese girl is parachuted into the private system… Pung’s forceful writing reveals the diverse and often difficult lives of her immigrant compatriots too often hidden away from us by masks of discretion.” - the Age “Pung continues to impress with her nuanced storytelling Laurinda will surely resonate with anyone who remembers the cliquey, hierarchical nature of the playground.” - Sunday Age Pung tackles big issues with a light touch.” - Herald Sun “Schoolgirl Lucy Lam was one of this year’s best characters – smart, hardworking and brave. “Based loosely on Pung’s own experiences, the book has an unmissable ring of truth to it, making it all the more compelling and horrifying.” - the Sydney Morning Herald Funny, horrifying, and sharp as a serpent’s fangs." - John Marsden
"Alice Pung totally nails it with Laurinda.
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