Asian Pirate Musical – Upstairs at the Gatehouse

Asian Pirate Musical continues at Upstairs at the Gatehouse, London until 2 August 2026.

Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩

Two queer space pirates from the future, a 14th century dynasty Admiral and a 19th century pirate queen all land on the ship of a 2049 climate survivor. It sounds pretty hilarious – and for a sizeable part – Asian Pirate Musical is.

Featuring witty jokes, sea monsters, bubble guns and even an impromptu rap solo, Asian Pirate Musical is sure to make you smile. Whether it is an intimate, lighthearted, argumentative comedic duet such as ‘Space Is’ from Rai Endah and Nabilah Hamid, who play Keliling and Riang, or the contemporary musical style of ‘Pass the Bok Choy’, the soundtrack allows the audience to witness the characters develop unexpected relationships amidst the chaos.

This exceeds beyond comedy, as the genre-defying musical score allows true insight into each character’s individual journey. Despite feeling so different from each other, they are united by the shared trauma of grief and loss, whether it be through colonialism or an increasing climate crisis.

The opening number ‘Hai Onward’ throws the audience straight into both the plot of the show and the unique musical score. It shifts effortlessly between contemporary musical theatre, sea shanties, cinematic orchestral sounds and the inclusion of both traditional Asian musical influences.

This mirrors the collision of histories, cultures and identities explored throughout. The explosive arrival of an unfamiliar group of characters sparks the audience’s curiosity. Each has a moment in the spotlight, allowing for their personalities and histories to be explored, creating pivotal, emotional breaks within a chaotic plot. The ballad ‘Ships in the Night’, performed by Ashley Goh as Nazar, is particularly impressive vocally.

While the score is certainly memorable, some of the lyrics seem to over-explain scenarios and lack room for emotional depth. This, instead, mostly comes from the acting performances, instrumental curation and staging.

There is also a powerful use of physical theatre. Making inventive use of Scamp Niemz’s detailed set, the cast uses movement to transform the stage into not just a ship or a battlefield, but a reflection of the characters’ inner worlds.

This is often accompanied by music that combines the Asian 5-7 microtonal scale with the Western 12-tone scale, and is performed using the Japanese taiko, gamelan and other traditional instruments, really highlighting the importance of identity in each character’s journey.

Despite the frankly absurd plot, Asian Pirate Musical has created an incredibly in-depth exploration of isolation, grief, perseverance and solidarity in a way that truly hits the heart of everyone watching. Five different stories, five different perspectives, all more similar than initially imagined – because they are all human.

Director Zhui Ning Chang has collaborated with Frey Kwa Hawking, Jade Leamcharaskul and Sarita Lewis, Nemo Martin to create Asian Pirate Musical.

Libby O’Connell