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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Benita Kolovos

‘Thanks for the free rent’: Cheng Lei jokes about China detention in comedy debut

Cheng Lei joked in her show in Melbourne that in her darkest hour ‘the lights were always on in her cell.
Cheng Lei joked in her show in Melbourne that in her darkest hour ‘the lights were always on’ in her cell. Photograph: Sarah Hodges/Australia's Department of Foreig/AFP/Getty Images

Cheng Lei, the journalist who was detained in China for three years, has offered to “reciprocate the hospitality” when the country’s premier, Li Qiang, visits Australia later this week.

Making her comedy debut in a one-off show in Melbourne with Vicky Xu – a writer and well-known Chinese dissident – Cheng joked that the premier had “got the dates wrong” and would miss their performance.

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