Five Minutes with Annette Shun Wah

Meet Annette Shun Wah – Executive Producer of Contemporary Asian Australian Performance (CAAP) and newly appointed Artistic Director of the 2021 OzAsia Festival. Find out more about her appointment here.

Annette Shun Wah (Photo Credit: William Yang)

You’re a writer, broadcaster, producer and theatre-maker – how did your experience in each of these different roles guide and shape your career to what it is today? 

Annette: While these roles have involved a range of skills sets, I think I have been led by a fairly consistent goal throughout my career – to explore new ideas and new forms of expression, and to share those widely, so audiences do not have to settle for the same old, same old! So, while I’ve moved from one artform to another, it is always the same curiosity about ideas that has guided my path. 

What would you consider your proudest achievement to date? 

Annette: Over the past five or six years, my focus has been on influencing the lack of cultural diversity on main stages in Australia. Through CAAP I have found new ways of working with major theatre companies and organisations to build career paths for artists from Asian Australian backgrounds. Every time one of these artists has a play produced or is engaged in some sort of role by a major theatre company, I am immensely proud. 

Annette with Asian Producers Platform members in Hong Kong

Annette Shun Wah with director Darren Yap at Double Delicious (Photo Credit: Vicor Li)

Why do you think an Arts Festival like OzAsia is particularly important for artists and audiences within our region? 

Annette: I would think we would want to be part of a future-facing world – not one that is stuck in the past.  For this, it is crucial to engage with, and understand the dynamic countries in our region. Short of relocating and living in a new place for some length of time, the best way to develop a deeper and more nuanced understanding of other countries and cultures is through the arts. OzAsia Festival can contribute to that engagement and make for a more meaningful relationship with our near neighbours.  Besides, some of the most provocative and fresh artworks are coming from Asia. It is exciting for our artists and audiences to be able to experience them and collaboration between artists from different cultures opens up so many possibilities based on the ability to view our region through different – perhaps even inverted – perspectives. 

Describe in three words what we can expect from the 2021 OzAsia Festival. 

Annette: Surprise.  Wonder.  Inspiration. 

What’s your strangest habit? 

Annette: I like to whistle to the whip birds! The Eastern whip birds near my home have the most exquisite call – a long sustained note, followed by a “whip” – ricocheting around the bush. So, on bushwalks, if there’s no-one else around, I like to whistle to them in the hope they’ll respond to me. 

If you had to experience the life of a character from a play or musical, who would it be and why? 

Annette: MULAN of course! In real life I couldn’t punch my way out of a wet paper bag, but I would love to be able to challenge all those limitations put on women and girls, and channel my inner Jet Li to beat the baddies!   

What made-up word would you incorporate into the English language if you could? 

Annette: “Yumology” the science of all things delectable. It would open up a new career path.

With Asian Producers Platform members (Tai Kwun HK)