The Young Genius season opens with Robert Lepage’s epic classic, which was first devised when Lepage was 27, in 1985, and launched his dynamic brand of theatrical storytelling onto the world stage.

The story interweaves a number of narrative threads, each drawn from the minds and lives of two young girls raised in the 1930s, in the Chinese quarter of Quebec. As their thoughts wander, a mythical image of China is created, where characters flit in and out of existence, and the cultural identities of several nations are explored. The story spans 75 years, seven time zones, three generations and two world wars.

Robert Lepage formed his multidisciplinary company, Ex Machina, who last visited the Barbican two years ago, in 1994. His original and often groundbreaking approach to live performance, which often involves utilising the latest technology, pushes the boundaries of theatre.

Performed in French, English, Cantonese and Mandarin with English surtitles.