The Théâtre Duceppe had difficulty recruiting actors of Chinese descent for its new play, which premiered Wednesday in Montreal and deals with the Tiananmen Square massacre, because several actors feared reprisals from the Chinese government.
• Also read: Banned Chinese camera manufacturer uses tricks to keep contracts
It is difficult to find a more concrete example of the impact of Chinese interference on Canadian citizens. “We have no idea to what extent the Chinese regime still has a place in life [des Québécois d’origine chinoise] and influence their decisions, even if they no longer live in China,” says co-director of the Théâtre Duceppe David Laurin.
The latter was present in 2020 at the auditions for the play Chimerica, which will be shown in Montreal for a month. About twenty actors of Chinese origin from Quebec were invited, and the play took place in French, English and Mandarin.
Image of the play “Chimerica”, currently being performed at the Théâtre Duceppe. PHOTO PROVIDED by Théâtre Duceppe
Never seen
“At lunchtime we discovered that between half and a third of the actors hadn't shown up for the audition, which never happens. [dans le milieu du théâtre]. There are so few auditions in Quebec that I can confirm that if there are any, the actors travel!” he told the Journal.
It was an interpreter present on site who revealed to the director that certain actors had been hesitant to appear at the auditions for several days for fear of reprisals from Beijing due to the subject matter of the play (see below).
“It was this interpreter who made it clear to us that these people were risking a lot […] By bringing these words to the stage and saying: Yes, Tian'anmen, it really was a massacre in which thousands died, these [comédiens] They contradict what the Chinese regime wants to tell people,” explains David Laurin.
A real risk
Finally, the six actors needed to perform the play were hired. Some of them said they were willing to do so because they planned never to return to China.
“It is [pendant le processus d’auditions] that we understood how serious it was and that it is not a myth when we talk about spying on Chinese nationals. It's very real. The average salary of an actor in Quebec is not very high. If you refuse to go to an audition because you feel there is a risk, that means that risk is serious,” says Mr. Laurin.
Comedian Alexandre Goyette also regretted the situation on Thursday morning at the microphone of the program Puisqu'il peut se leva on 98.5 FM. “It’s disgusting, but it’s reality. We talked about the Chinese secret police stations that exist across Canada […] Asian actors starring in this show […]It’s very brave of them.”
PHOTO PROVIDED by Théâtre Duceppe
This fear of reprisal does not surprise pro-democracy activists like McGill cybersecurity professor and Action Free Hong Kong Montreal spokesman Benjamin Fung.
“I'm not surprised. People are afraid of China, even in Canada. This also applies to the Hong Kong community. When we started organizing events in 2019, we had 200 participants. Today, less than ten people come. They are afraid from being photographed [par des gens qui travaillent pour le régime chinois]”, he said.
Asked for comment, the artists' association said it was “overly sensitive” to artists' fears of reprisals, but noted that its options for action were limited because the situation affected a foreign country.
Why are you afraid?
We asked Artur Wilczynski, a former senior national security official who now works at the University of Ottawa, what motivates some Chinese nationals' fear of angering Beijing.
Q. Do the actors of Chinese origin who refused to take part in this play have reason to fear reprisals?
A A play depicting the events in Beijing on Tiananmen Square is really problematic for the Chinese government. He does not want this historic event to be recognized, especially by members of the Chinese diaspora. I understand why some actors wanted to avoid the risk.
Q. Why does the Chinese government react so strongly to the mention of this historic event?
Editor's note: Student and worker demonstrations in the spring of 1989 that ended with the deaths of thousands of Chinese.
A This historic event showed two things: First, that a part of the Chinese people is fighting against the government and for democracy. This scares the Communist Party, for whom control is the most important thing. However, what happened in Tiananmen Square was precisely a lack of control that led China to resort to its military. Thousands of people were killed by their own government. The government wants to deny and hide this at all costs.
Q: Does Beijing really care what its citizens say and do abroad?
A It depends on. A demonstration or play commemorating the Tiananmen Square massacre is important enough to displease the government of the People's Republic of China. It wouldn't surprise me if a piece with this profile caught the interest of the Chinese government. […] There are formal and informal networks that conduct surveillance. In this case, someone in the community will undoubtedly write a report and send a message to the members of the Chinese government, who will take note.
Q. What retaliation is there for a Chinese citizen in Canada who displeases Beijing?
A If you want to return to China, your visa may be rejected. It is then no longer possible to return to the family, which could have negative consequences. This can affect children's admission to Chinese universities, access to jobs, etc., as all aspects of life in China are controlled by government decisions.
PHOTO PROVIDED by Théâtre Duceppe
chimera
- Piece by British artist Lucy Kirkwood.
- Deals with the legendary photo of a man standing alone in front of the column of tanks crossing Beijing on the second day of the bloody repression in Tiananmen Square.
- Presented at the Théâtre Duceppe until February 17th.