“A man goes out to buy a paper, or a new shirt or something, and by the end of the day, he’s part of history.”

Inspired by one of the 20th century’s most powerful and iconic images, this political thriller tracks two decades of China-America relations through the parallel and intersecting stories of a photojournalist and a dissident.

In 1989, as tanks rolled through Tiananmen Square, a lone man, holding plastic shopping bags, stood in their path, and entered history.

Who was he, what was the story behind his protest, and what became of him?

Acclaimed English playwright Lucy Kirkwood takes these questions as her starting point to engage in a sweeping saga across countries and cultures that encompasses geopolitical intrigue, whip-smart comedy, and intimate human drama.

Still searingly relevant today, this is political theatre at its brilliant best.

Winner: 2014 Olivier Award for Best New Play

“A gloriously rich, mind-expanding play” The Guardian