Hong Kong, 2019. A spark ignites.

Interested in the world in which our new play, A Playlist for the Revolution is set? Read on to discover more about the social and political context that inspired the play.


A Playlist for the Revolution is set in Hong Kong, 2019.

In March of 2019, China proposed a bill that would have allowed those who were accused of crimes in Hong Kong to be extradited to mainland China, which triggered a series of protests. These grew to be the largest demonstrations Hong Kong had ever seen; they captured the world’s attention, with reports of millions taking to the streets and violent clashes between protestors and police becoming more frequent.

Although the Chinese government announced the withdrawal of the Extradition Bill on 4 September 2019, the demonstrations continued for months. The movement had become broader, with calls from activists for full democracy in Hong Kong and demands for an independent inquiry into the use of force by police.


Discussing the protests

In 2020, China introduced a national security law which increased government power against pro-democracy acts of resistance with maximum penalties of life imprisonment.

Under this broad bill, any support of Hong Kong’s independence from China can be interpreted as ‘inciting secession’, and is classified as a crime. This law has been applied to people across the world, including activists, journalists, and artists.

A Playlist for the Revolution is a work of fiction created for entertainment purposes only.

All the names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner.

Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Any political perspectives or affiliations expressed by characters in the play is not intended to reflect the views of the writer, the creatives, the Bush Theatre or its staff.


A Playlist for the Revolution is playing in the Holloway Theatre until Sat 5 Aug. Click here to find out more and book tickets.