Hello you,

To the wonderful person reading this little call for support; support for a show that has breathed life into the fibres of my being and educated me over the past few years, reminding me of why it is important to tell not just any story but your story.

This is my contribution to the story of British East Asians living in the UK. To show that sharing my story is indeed OUR story. Shared through the lens of a Filipino immigrant who grew up in working class England.

English Ako is a semi-autobiographical take on my exploration of being Asian in England by sharing what it was like to culturally grow up ‘English’ while being an East Asian immigrant. It hopes to add a fresh nuance of our perspectives and experiences surrounding race, culture and immigration.

This play expresses many questions that people who grew up in between two cultures have; where belongingness then might not be as straightforward.

How can one embrace one culture, yet be pushed away by another?

In my version of that journey, we share a story that is about a celebration of existence. That regardless of where you are from, being Asian or English is about being proud of who you are.

This play was written for the younger me who needed to see this on stage, who needed to hear these words and who needed to someone to ask these questions that the play offers. ‘Who am I?’, ‘Where do I belong?’, ‘How do I embrace who I am?’.

I am asking for your support to bring this show to the Fringe. It will give us the opportunity to draw more eyes and ears to the show that is representative of a wider community, to exchange conversations about our stories and where we come from and hopefully breathe life to a part of the audience that they didn’t know they needed.

There is ambition to take it further and to bring it to a bigger stages further down the line and maybe with your support it will get there -

and beyond!

What You’re Supporting:

After receiving two 4-star reviews from respected critics during its earlier run, I’ve been accepted to bring this show to the Fringe. I’ve secured a fantastic venue and hired a professional PR team to get the visibility it deserves.

But the reality of fringe theatre is that even when the show is great, the costs are heavy. That’s where you come in.

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What the Funds Cover:

• Venue hire: £3,250

• PR & marketing: £3,000

• Travel, accommodation, tech, and materials: £2,000

• Total goal: £8,250

Every pound goes directly into helping this show reach the biggest audience possible—and helping this voice be heard.

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Why This Matters:

Representation matters. There are a very few Working-class, immigrant, and Filipino-British stories in British theatre. This show is my way of changing that, one performance at a time.

If you’ve ever felt like an outsider, if you care about representation in the arts, or if you just love good storytelling—please donate, share, and be part of this journey

(You can find more info on previous posts regarding the show on my IG page: @Julesdpchan)

Until then.

My warmest regards,

Jules Chan