Completely engrossing, Cheng Shih-Yung has mastered this performance
Presented by: Antinomy Company
Reviewed: 31 October, 2025
Presented by Antinomy Company, Embarking on a Drift to the Unknown was directed and conceptualised by Li Yun, whose work explores Asian historical narratives and presents them in a multi-sensory way. The story draws on the Chinese cultural concept of accepting your fate and being at peace with it.
It follows a 19-year-old woman who left her village during the Kuomintang era, and due to widespread famine, recognised that to survive was to leave. Although the practice of arranged marriages had been common for centuries and was not limited to the KMT era, political and social upheavals sometimes intensified the need for them economically. By focusing on this period, we are able to reflect on how major social, political and economic changes combined with famine affected a woman’s future during that time, leaving them with little choice, in other words, their fate.
Using Zi-Wei-Dou-Shu (紫微斗數), to mark the different stages of her life (childhood, displacement, survival, cultural adaptation and so on) her story is told from childhood to her departure and eventual arrival, where she is unknowingly forced into a pre-arranged marriage. The narration, along with occasional text projected onto the back curtain, and the inclusion of historical information after certain events helps the audience understand what has taken place and the cultural context behind the protagonist’s thoughts and actions.
As someone who values the auditory aspect of a performance, I really enjoyed how much the sounds became part of the story and not just the backdrop, especially because memories and identity can be carried through the sounds we keep. One moment that stood out most to me was the slow build-up of the rough seas encountered on the ship, which felt so realistic that there was little need to explain what was happening.
By immersing us vividly in these memories of the protagonist, through soundscapes (and more), I felt completely absorbed. I also connected strongly with the material as my father immigrated to Australia during this time and has long held this cultural belief that your life is already predetermined, making the experience feel even more personal for me as it echoed his own thoughts. Embarking on a Drift to the Unknown is emotionally resonant and far exceeded my expectations.
I found Cheng Shih-Yung to be an elegant performer who gracefully infuses contemporary dance moves into the show, and her enactment was so convincing I hadn’t actually realised until afterwards that it was not her own ancestral story. That being said, her father’s lineage comes from Chinese immigrants associated with the KMT, so she would be familiar with how ethnicity, gender, nationality and culture can collide in shaping one’s identity.
The video advertisement is good, but it doesn’t convey just how engaging this performance is. The artistic and production teams have thoughtfully considered every aspect, so I highly recommend you attend this amazing piece of theatre!
Reviewed by Rebecca Wu
Photo credit: National Theatre Kaohsiung Center for the Arts Weiwuying
Venue: Nexus Arts Venue, Adelaide
Season: Ended
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