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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Entertainment
Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen

Miss Peony review – Michelle Law’s beauty pageant comedy is full of charm

Michelle Law Jason Lau Arts Centre Melbourne
Shirong Wu, Jing-Xuan Chan, Jeffrey Liu, Stephanie Jack and Mabel Li.
‘Full of verve and warmth’ … Shirong Wu, Jing-Xuan Chan, Jeffrey Liu, Stephanie Jack and Mabel Li in Miss Peony. Photograph: Jason Lau

Lily (Stephanie Jack) is 26 and about to move to London from Sydney when her grandmother, Adeline (Gabrielle Chan), a former beauty queen, passes away. Her dying wish is for Lily to honour her legacy by winning Miss Peony, the community beauty pageant held at the local casino.

Except Lily’s poh poh (grandma) isn’t going anywhere – she hangs around in spectral form through a charmed jade bracelet, watching her granddaughter’s every move. And Lily isn’t your typical good Chinese girl – she’s tattooed, single, works at a bar and didn’t go to uni.

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