The Emperor, his Mom, a Eunuch and a Man

A strange tale of the Qing court is retold on stage
In the mighty torrent of history, a power struggle unfolds
 
During the reign of Qing Emperor Tongzhi, the eunuch An Dehai was an all-powerful aide to the Empress Dowager Cixi. Using the excuse of procuring a dragon robe to leave the Forbidden City, he was arraigned by the magistrate Ding Baozhen while travelling in Shandong. As messengers dart from one place to another, An’s fate is on the edge of a precipice… will he survive? There may be a flicker of hope in the royal court, but others want him dead. Everything hangs by a thread…
 
The Emperor, his Mom, a Eunuch and a Man premiered in 2013 and won six accolades at the 23rd Hong Kong Drama Awards. Subsequent re-runs in 2014 and 2015 as well as touring performances in Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing received much critical acclaim. The script depicts real characters in the Qing court reflecting the world at large, highlighting the complexity of human character and relationships. Roy Szeto returns to direct this story of a unique dynastic episode along with distinct sets and staging, retelling a piece of history as penned by Poon Wai Sum.
 
“This episode of 'family conflict' is rife with tension on the level of the script, direction as well as acting. Not only does it show how the inner court twists human character, also reflect on the complexity of the political situation toward the end of the Qing dynasty.” 
— Cheung Ping Kuen, Theatre Critic
 
“Poon Wai Sum doesn’t want us to see historical truth. This story can take place anytime anywhere, but what we see clearly is a truthful portait of human character.” 
— Tang Ching Kin, ArtsLink

 
The 23rd Hong Kong Drama Awards 
※Best Performance of the Year
※Best Director (Tragedy/Drama) - Roy Szeto
※Best Supporting Actor (Tragedy/Drama) - Chan Suk Yi
※Best Costume Design - Kenneth Leung
※Best Image Design - Kenneth Leung, He Mingsong
※Top Ten Most Popular Productions