‘An extraordinary, heart-warming tale…thought-provoking and well-executed….it will get you laughing one minute and crying the next’
My Entertainment World

‘Well-written, self-contained . . a quietly absorbing study'
Everything Theatre

‘Heartachingly moving and delightfully comic’
The Spy in the Stalls

‘An emotional two-hander with a relevant political message . . . refreshingly different’
London Pub Theatres Magazine

 
Little Potatoes toured with Red Dragonfly Productions at the Nomad Festival, as part of Taking Flight. It was performed in Brockenhurst, Cheltenham and at the Rotunda Theatre at the Buxton Fringe in 2019.

Little Potatoes was performed at the Old Red Lion Theatre, Islington, London, in April 2019 and at the Edinburgh Festival in 2018.  Some of our audience responses in Edinburgh: 

‘Beautiful, heartbreaking’
‘Incredibly well written, intensely moving…amazingly acted’
‘Clever, funny, political and often very moving.’


What it’s about:
When Liuyang pins her daughter’s CV on an umbrella in a Shanghai Park, she expects questions about salary, job prospects and her daughter’s property portfolio. What she does not expect is to have to re-live her traumatic experiences under China’s one-child policy, and to face disturbing new realities. 

Playing multiple-roles two talented performers create a fast-paced narrative presenting the realities and repercussions of state controlled birth control.

Little Potatoes was performed by Michelle Wen Lee and Sarah Curwen.  It was directed by Bryn Holding.  

Written and produced by Clare Reddaway.

​Little Potatoes was staged at the Edinburgh Festival in 2018. Here’s an audio interview with Fringe Review about the play.

In 2018 Little Potatoes was also performed at the Egg Theatre Bath, on the Bath Theatre Bus at the Bath Fringe and at Clifton Library in Bristol.

An extract of Little Potatoes was staged at the Arcola Theatre, London as part of Pokfulam Road’s Foreign Goods 3: “Michelle Wen Lee and Sarah Curwen shine… a highlight with its sensitive treatment of matchmaking mothers.” [ayoungertheatre.com]

Little Potatoes was inspired by writer Clare Reddaway’s trip to China with her award-winning play The Red Court in 2017.  It was developed with the support of the Engage programme, Theatre Royal, Bath.  

More audience responses: ‘We both adored this play – it was incredibly well written.  Intensely moving, but knew when to cut the tension with well-crafted humour. Amazingly acted by the two actresses.  One we would recommend to everyone we know.”[Jim W and Priya S]

‘Surprisingly moving.  Many audience in tears! Two passionate and natural actresses. Kudos! Writing was the right balance of tension and restraint and humour.  Seemed to cross cultural lines very well.’ [Weiwei]
 
‘I loved this play.  It struck just the right balance between the awful decisions two women had to make under the one child policy and their everyday life and even humour as they plan their children’s future.  There’s some heartfelt acting, and more than a few tears before the end, but some really nicely observed comedic moments to break the tension. Some scenes will really stay with you long after the end.  Well worth seeing.’ [Luke Meredith]

‘I saw this with my 15 year old son and we both though it was a great production.  The effects of the one-child policy were explored but it never felt like a heavy-handed explanation of the different effects of the policy.  Emotional but also humourous in parts. 5*’ [Cath Thompson]

On Twitter: ‘What a fantastic play Little Potatoes is. A clever, funny, political and often very moving two-hander about the real impact of China’s one child policy. One of the best written plays I’ve seen in ages. Well done!’

‘Highly recommended – funny, sensitive and deeply heart-breaking – great performances/script.’​

‘Loved the show! Poignant, gentle storytelling. The political and the individual. Highly recommended.’

‘Tender, heartbreaking and heart-warming’  

‘Fascinating, disturbing and entertaining in equal measure.’