All of human history? It's basically people taking things from each other.' A thousand-year-old statue of the Bodhisattva Guanyin lives in the British Museum. When it emerges that the statue was stolen from its original home, the museum attempts to deflect both the public response and controversial repatriation claims from the Chinese government. As statesmen scheme and grease their palms, beneath the statue, witches dance, a cleaner prays, and spirits weep. Joel Tan's daring, shape-shifting play unfolds the statue's journey from China to Britain and back again, stirring up age-old ghosts and asking who can claim cultural artefacts – and why? Scenes from a Repatriation was first performed at the Royal Court Theatre, London, in 2025, directed by experimental theatre-makers emma + pj.
"'Breathtakingly powerful and original... Tan delves fascinatingly into the murky meaning of ownership... the panorama of the story is vast and scorchingly profound'"
The Stage
"'Ingenious and thrilling... intellectual complexity as well as dramatic intensity... This is innovative theatre, shining with intelligence, which brings richness to our cultural tussle with the problem of ancient statues and their rightful place in the world'"
Guardian
"'A bold, imaginative piece of theatre... opens up a complex dialogue on history, identity, and cultural ownership with intelligence and heart'"
