The Bridal Lament

We are thrilled to finally announce our Artistic Director, Tessa Leong's debut work at the helm of the company!

Joining forces once again with the astounding artist and musician, Rainbow Chan 陳雋然, CAAP and Performance Space proudly present The Bridal Lament – a reimagining of the Weitou ritual that brings forth a dynamic world of projection, movement, and colour. 

Drawing on her Weitou ancestry (first settlers of Hong Kong), the work reimagines a Weitou ritual known as the bridal lament, a public performance of grief in which a bride wept and sang in front of her 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 work brings to life intergenerational and cross-cultural perspectives on diasporic experiences and the complex history of Hong Kong in an emotionally resonant and sumptuous audiovisual experience. Featuring a suite of new songs from Chan, The Bridal Lament pays homage to the Weitou ritual, bringing to life a dynamic world of projection, movement and colour. 

Presented by Performance Space and Contemporary Asian Australian Performance. Supported by the Australia Council for the Arts, City of Melbourne through Arts House, the Besen Foundation, Playking Foundation, the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations, and West Kowloon Cultural District. 

Key Creatives

Lead Artist and Performer: Rainbow
Director: Tessa Leong
Choreographic Consultants: Amrita Hepi & Victoria Hunt
Video Design: Rel Pham
Set & Costume Design: Al Joel & Emily Borghi
Lighting Concept: Govin Ruben
Lighting Realiser: Susie Henderson

Tickets and Performances 

LIVEWORKS
Thu19 Oct, 8:30pm
Fri 20 Oct, 8:30pm
Sat 21 Oct, 8:30pm
Sun 22 Oct, 6:30pm
Bay 20, Carriageworks 

TICKETS

OzAsia Festival 
Wed 1 Nov, 7pm 
Thu 2 Nov, 7pm
Space Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre Theatre 

TICKETS  

Check out Seven Sisters written, performed, produced and recorded by Rainbow Chan,

 

 

 

'As a new writer for stage, Longhouse was an opportunity too good to miss, it was a chance for me to share a WIP to an audience in a supportive environment, gather feedback and know if I am heading in the right direction.' - Gary Paramanathan, Longhouse: WIP 2022 

'I had THE BEST TIME! What a brilliant opportunity to connect with the community and share this work in progress. I had really heart-warming and enriching conversations about the work in the networking drinks after the sharing. And everywhere I’ve been recently someone says, “I heard about your podcast at the Longhouse!”.' - Pearl Tan, Longhouse: WIP 2022 

Expressions of interest are now open to be a part of CAAP Longhouse: Works-in-Progress. Come and test your new work or idea in front of a warm and supportive audience.  

We encourage submissions from emerging artists who want to present something in front of an audience for the first time and more experienced artists who want to try out a new edgy idea. After the performances, there will be facilitated feedback to help artists refine their ideas and take it to the next level.

We are looking for performances under 10 minutes that can be done with minimal tech support. These can be excerpts of a work in development - a reading of an unpublished script, movement/dance piece, improvisation, a musical number or a multimedia presentation. Don’t be afraid to pitch something different. We love seeing new work from artists of varying practices.

We welcome applications from artists located anywhere in Australia, however, artists must be Sydney based for the the event or able to cover their own travel costs.

KEY DATES

The Longhouse: WIP will take place in Bay 20 at Carriageworks on Thursday 23 November 2023.
EOIs 1Oam, Monday 25 September.
Successful applicants will be notified via email the first week of October. 

HOW TO APPLY

Please complete the expression of interest form linked below. Before you start: here's an overview of what you'll need before answering this form. The form questions are a mix of checkbox and short paragraph answers   

• Name and Contact details of the artist or group
• A description of the work you intend to perform
• Additional information - trigger/content warnings, technical requirements, etc.
• Headshots of each artist performing. This can be done via the Google Drive function on this form or if you would prefer to email the files or links directly, that's fine too.

Note: There are questions we ask for CAAP's organisational purpose, these are optional and will not impact your application

APPLY NOW

ANY QUESTIONS?

If you have any queries about your EOI, please contact our Longhouse coordinator Happy Feraren at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Contemporary Asian Australian Performance and OzAsia Festival are back with their exciting professional development program led by South Australian performance maker Valerie Berry.

Connecting Asian Australian artists in South Australia, the CAAP Artist Lab is an unprecedented collaboration with leading SA companies. This program is a unique opportunity to meet fellow artists, and industry professionals that will not only enrich each participant’s artistic journey but also contribute to the creative community in South Australia.

Nine Asian Australian artists will gather for five days aimed at fostering learning, experimentation, skills development, and collaborative growth. Through this comprehensive week-long intensive, participants will engage in masterclasses, workshops, and seminars guided by accomplished industry experts from our partner organisations. To enrich the experience, each artist will be paired with a partner company, facilitating a deeper relationship with one particular organisation.

The Artist Lab program aims to align with the creative aspirations of each participant, equipping them with valuable tools and resources for their ongoing artistic endeavors. This opportunity not only encourages personal development but also cultivates connections that can extend well beyond the program itself.

An honorarium will be paid to each of the successful participants at the conclusion of the program.

KEY DATES

Participants will need to be available for the following:

• Mid-October (2 x Online Introduction Sessions, dates TBC)
• Monday 23 October to Friday 27 October (Intensive Week)
• Mid-October to early-Nov (3 x one-on-one coffee catchups with paired partner company)

PARTNER ORGANISATIONS

• Adelaide Festival Centre
• ActNow Theatre
• Australian Dance Theatre
• Brink Productions
• Assemblage Centre for Creative Arts - Flinders University
• Nexus Arts
• State Theatre Company of SA
• Vitalstatistix
• Gravity and Other Myths

HOW TO APPLY

Applications are now closed. 

ANY QUESTIONS?

If you have any questions about the program or the application process, you can contact the CAAP team at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.