Grist to the Mill and Red Dragonfly Productions Presents The Ballad of Mulan

The real Chinese heroine than inspired Disney’s films

‘If you love history and strong women, this performance is for you.’Broadway Baby (on The Ballad Mulan)

‘A brilliant performance… there is always new wisdom to be found even in the oldest of stories.’ British Theatre Guide (on The Ballad of Mulan)

‘A powerful exploration of gender, war, and identity, as relevant and timely today as ever’ Tupla Magazine (on The Ballad of Mulan)

‘Forget the Disney version – If you want to see a powerful performance by a great actress, and writer, go and see ‘Mulan’. Better still – take your daughter!’ HIDDEN GEM – FringeReview (on The Ballad of Mulan)

Woman, warrior, Legend. For ten years Mulan disguised as a man, has fought for the Chinese Empire. Now the fighting is coming to an end, one last battle and she will be going home – but can she return to her old life, become a woman again.

A search for identity in a violent world. From the team behind Edfringe Sell-Out ‘The Unknown Soldier’ Grist to the Mill and working in collaboration with British-East-Asian theatre company Red Dragonfly, we bring you the real Chinese heroine that inspired Disney’s animation and live-feature Mulan.

Don’t expect a fluffy Disney tale here, this Mulan is visceral.  She is a warrior, a fighter, a woman who survived in a very male world for ten years without discovery.  There is no perfect make-up, no singing animals, just a gritty story of a soldier.  Michelle Yim (The Empress and Me and An Evening with Miss Wong) brings to life our heroine who, to save her family’s honour, disguised herself as a man and joined the Emperor’s army.

Commissioned by British-born Chinese Michelle Yim and written by Ross Ericson, whose play Casualties was nominated for an Off West End Award and whose solo WW1 show The Unknown Soldier officially sold out at Edinburgh Fringe 2016, has returned to the original text, the C6th Chinese poem on Mulan, and tried to fill in the gaps to explore the true identity of one of the most revered women in China.

The Ballad Of Mulan is produced by British East Asian theatre company Red Dragonfly Productions and Grist to the Mill Productions, who have championed new writing since 2012. The performance was developed with funding from Arts Council England.