Amy Ng – författare

National self-determination and the formation of nation-states has been the preferred liberal solution to the nationality problem in Central and Eastern Europe. Historians have played a prominent role in constructing nationalist narratives to legitimize the new nation-states arising from the corpse of the multinational Habsburg empire. The alternative liberal and historiographical tradition which privileges multinational states over nation-states, most famously associated with Lord Acton, has been relatively ignored.Dr Ng addresses this imbalance by concentrating on the lives and works of Josef Relich (1869-1936) and Lewis Namier (1869-1936), both politically active historians from upper-middle-class assimilated Habsburg Jewish backgrounds. They were anti-nationalist historians in an age of nationalism, and staunch defenders of parliamentary democracy in an era when parliamentary democracy came under attack from both the political Right and Left. Both men argued that modern nationalism with its absolutist claims militated against the spirit of tolerance and mutual compromise essential to parliamentary government. This innovative, intellectual history places Redlich and Namier in context.

Nominated for Outstanding Drama Education Resource at the 2024 Music & Drama Education AwardsA first-of-its-kind anthology, Beyond The Canon’s Plays for Young Activists combines plays, toolkits, and an online guide to empower young people into activism.With award-winning plays from the UK’s most revolutionary female writers of colour, as well as bespoke multimedia learning guides, this collection offers young global activists aged 16+, as well as teachers and creatives at any level, the opportunity to diversify their education and enhance their understanding of politically driven plays, world politics and social justice.Unique in how it amplifies these selected award-winning plays by incorporating learning guides that accommodate different learning styles (be they visual, auditory, reading/writing and kinaesthetic), Beyond The Canon dares readers to take a deeper dive into the world of the play, be inspired by the themes and provocations and use the anthology to evolve into the ultimate activist. The plays include:Muhammad Ali and Me by Mojisola AdebayoA Museum in Baghdad by Hannah KhalilAcceptance by Amy NgWith resources like top tips on creating a safe space, practical drama challenges and games, interviews with the writers, research guides and activism test sheets, Beyond The Canon’s Plays for Young Activists will spark the imagination of any and all readers, likely inspiring the next Mojisola Adebayo, Hannah Khalil and Amy Ng.

'Stick a woman in fatigues, put a wrench in her hand, an axe, a machine gun – they're just props, unless she can live her life freely – take lovers, have abortions, make art not babies!'Two penniless actresses meet at auditions for a production of Ibsen's A Doll's House in Shanghai – and they quickly become inseparable.As political upheaval rips through China, their tumultuous friendship will alter not only the course of their lives, but the course of history. One will become China's first female theatre director. The other, the architect of the Cultural Revolution.Amy Ng's play Shanghai Dolls tells the untold true story of two of the most influential women in Chinese history – Madame Mao and Sun Weishi – and how the personal truly is political. It opened at Kiln Theatre, London, in 2025, in association with Paines Plough, directed by Katie Posner.

'I refuse to be a panda. I refuse to go extinct. I want to live, to live well, to live like them.'Bunny, a young woman from the officially designated 'Shangri-La' in the Himalayan foothills of China's Yunnan Province, has witnessed her family's livelihood destroyed by mass tourism. She dreams of escape as a globe-trotting photographer.But what happens when the only thing you have to sell is your culture? When the only way to free yourself is to betray your roots?In Shangri-La, her first full-length play, Amy Ng lays bare the contradictions and private pain of cultural tourism. The play premiered at the Finborough Theatre, London, in 2016.

‘We’re supposed to be assessing their potential as college students, not conducting a quasi-criminal investigation.’Out of 37,451 applicants to Eliot University, Angela stands out – but not for the right reasons. An ambiguous event in her past threatens to overshadow her talent, her potential and her future prospects. Can she overcome the prejudices of those judging her application, or is she already tainted beyond redemption?Crackling with razor-sharp dialogue, Acceptance asks whether we can ever escape our past, and investigates the destructive side of our search for acceptance. It premiered at Hampstead Theatre Downstairs, London, in 2018.Amy Ng’s other plays include Shangri-La (Finborough Theatre, London).