REVIEW: Hater, Brava Guava, EdFringe 2026 ★★★★★

Two Chinese actresses with the exact same casting type duke it out in this absurdist dark comedy, putting a new and refreshing spin on themes of shame, generational trauma and cycles of abuse. Hater by Gawa Leung is an absolute riot, investigating the toxic competitiveness and rage deeply rooted in Asian culture that pits women against each other.

Reminiscent of ‘Yellowface’ by R.F. Kuang (but this time, they’re both Chinese), Hater tells the story of Wai Ying (‘the Hater’) and Eve Xiao (‘the Hatee’) as Wai Ying spirals into an obsessive stalking rooted in jealousy from Eve’s success. Revealed along the way is Wai Ying’s past, her relationship to her family – paralleled with a children’s puppet show – and her struggle with CPTSD as a result.

The set was extremely resourceful (hey, it’s fringe theatre!), from the hot pink crash mat that doubles as a puppet stage telling the story of ‘Baby Bunny’, the hilarious cardboard cutout representing Eve’s Instagram profile and social media presence, to the two comically large black katanas that doubled as a school gate.

Each scene was punctuated with a hit of a 木魚 (Muyu, lit. wooden fish), a Chinese percussion instrument shaped like a fish, which lent its fins to the punchy pacing of the show.

My personal highlight was the actors’ incredible practice of physical theatre, stage combat and the way the ensemble of characters and their presences were vividly portrayed through body and movement. If that wasn’t enough to show you their performance prowess, the cast have learnt all three tracks in the show and the audience is able to vote on who plays which character every show, so it’s different every day!

Hater is a show that knows its audience well, and as a young ESEA creative myself I felt so incredibly represented. I laughed, cried and gasped at all the plot twists (no spoilers, I promise) and I can confidently say that this show is going places.

Making an identity piece often comes with concerns regarding relatability to audiences that may not come from the same cultural background, to which I say: why would we whitewash our own art to make ourselves palatable to an already white-centric theatre industry?

The first step to mutual understanding is accepting that one simply cannot understand all multifaceted pathways of the human experience, and I hope that moving forward, creatives from marginalised backgrounds do not shy away from writing what they know in hope to seem palatable to the wider audience.

Recommended drink: A spoonful of Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa, to soothe your throat after screaming with laughter.

You can catch Hater at Gilded Balloon Patter House (The Penny) between August 12-31 (Not 11, 18, 24) at 11:00 (60mins). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Box Office.