Anchuli Felicia King and The Poison of Polygamy

Anchuli joins Regina Botros backstage to talk about her motivation for bringing this story to the stage and how her career has developed as a playwright, screenwriter and multidisciplinary artist of Thai-Australian descent.

As a playwright, King is interested in linguistic hybrids, digital cultures and globalization.

The Royal Court Theatre’s mainstage production of King’s play White Pearl marked her professional debut in May 2019, directed by Nana Dakin. White Pearl was subsequently produced by Sydney Theatre Company / National Theatre of Parramatta in Sydney in 2019 and the Studio Theatre in Washington, DC in the United States. Her play Golden Shield was commissioned through Melbourne Theatre Company’s Next Stage program and made its Off-Broadway debut at Manhattan Theatre Club in 2022.

King has worked as a screenwriter on HBO's "The Baby," a dark horror comedy produced by Sister Pictures, and HBO's "The Sympathizer," the TV adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen's Pulitzer winning novel. She also has writing credits on Australian shows including "The Twelve," "Deadloch," and "Class of 07." 

Awards, Commissions & Residencies: 
Sydney Theatre Company Patrick White Fellowship, 2020; Mona Brand Emerging Writer Award, 2020; Royal Court Theatre Commission, 2019; Manhattan Theatre Club Commission. 2019; Melbourne Theatre Company Next Stage Commission, 2019; Ars Nova Play Group 2018/19; Ensemble Studio Theatre Youngblood Member 2017-2024 ; Roundabout Theater, Space Jam Program (ongoing); Space on Ryder Farm Finalist, 2018 ; Playwriting Australia National Play Initiative Winner, 2017 ; Yellow Earth “Typhoon” Reading Series, 2017 “Liberation” Video Commission, B.W. Powe Poetry Project, 2017 ; Roundabout Columbia Initiative Winner, 2017 ; Bridge Initiative Playwriting Award Finalist, 2016 ; Red Bull Theatre Short Play Finalist, 2016.