The Empress and Me Chinese New Year 2025 Performance

Celebrate Chinese New Year 2025 with an enchanting play based on the amazing true story of Princess Der Ling. Raised in France to be every bit the Victorian Lady, she is suddenly thrust into the grandeur and complexity of the Forbidden City when her diplomat father is recalled to China. Becoming a lady-in-waiting to the infamous Empress Cixi, Der Ling grapples with her identity and her place in an ever-changing world.

Supported by Heriot-Watt University, in collaboration with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, and presented by Grist to the Mill and Red Dragonfly Productions –the talented teams behind The Ballad of Mulan and The Unforgettable Anna May Wong. This production is a highlight of the city’s cultural calendar and a cherished tradition of its Chinese New Year celebrations.