Edinburgh Fringe, August 7-12, 2023

Conceived and Directed by Spencer Simmons

Written by Spencer Simmons, Brian Seaton and Liam J Rand

1942. Two men are in a Japanese Prisoner of War cell in Hong Kong. One is Morris ‘Two-Gun’ Cohen, an East London Jewish born adventurer, con-man, gambler and charlatan who after imprisonment as a child for pickpocketing was sent away, aged 15, by his despairing family to a distant cousin's ranch in Canada and through a sequence of unlikely events ends up as a General in the Chinese Army. The other is Seymour Major, the Head of Hong Kong CID.  Facing a precarious and uncertain future, they pass the time talking about how Morris acquired his legendary nickname and status.

A remarkable man who survived world and civil wars and was integrally involved with the key figures and events in the development and separation of modern China and Taiwan a situation that is still making headlines today.

WP Drama are proud to produce this new work, based on the true story and using much of Morris’ own words, following a succesful and critical acclaimed preview in London.
Two-Gun Cohen at Ed Fringe 2023.Jonathan Meyer as Morris Cohen and Brian Seaton as Seymour Major

CAST
Morris 'Two Gun' Cohen Jonathan Meyer
Seymour Major Brian Seaton

Two-Gun Cohen at Ed Fringe 2023.Jonathan Meyer as Morris Cohen and Brian Seaton as Seymour Major

Key figures, organisations and events mentioned in the story of
Morris ‘Two-Gun’ Cohen (1887-1970)

Arthur Reginald Seymour Major:  Director of Special Branch of Hong Kong C.I.D. in 1941.

Dr Sun Yat-sen:  Chinese statesman, physician, and political philosopher. Leader of the Revolution. Served as the first provisional president of the Republic of China and the first leader of the KMT (Nationalist Party of China).  He is called the ‘Father of the Nation’ in the Republic of China.

Madam Sun, Soong Ching-ling:  Widow of Dr Sun Yat-sen, later Vice Chairman of the People’s Republic of China.

The Kempeitai:  The military police of the Imperial Japanese Army notorious for its brutality.

The Kuomintang (KMT):  The Chinese political party that ruled mainland China from 1927 to 1949 prior to its relocation to Taiwan as a result of the Chinese Civil War.

Chiang Kai-shek:  Successor to Dr Sun Yat-sen as leader of the KMT. Evacuated his Nationalist government to Taiwan.

Mao Zedong: Chinese politician and revolutionary.  Leader of the Chinese Communist Party and founder of the People's Republic of China.

Puyi, The Last Emperor of China: Final Qing dynasty monarch.  Became emperor at the age of two in 1908 and forced to abdicate February 1912.

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Special thanks to Kunio Hino for the Japanese Voice Overs

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theSpace on the Mile
Venue 39, Radisson Hotel,
Royal Mile,
EH1 1TH

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