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Paul Courtenay Hyu

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Paul Courtenay Hyu
Born
London, England
NationalityBritish
OccupationActor
Notable work"ChineseElvis"

Paul Courtenay Hyu is a British–Chinese actor, writer and director.[1] He works in English and German. He is sometimes credited as Paul Hyu, especially for his work as Elvis Impersonator, "ChineseElvis".

Life and career

[edit]

Hyu was born in London. He was educated at Ashville College in Harrogate, where he was Head of Briggs House and won the school's drama prize. He also won the school's German prize, though he did not continue to study the subject, instead taking Maths, Physics and Chemistry and General Studies at A-level.

He gained a place at the London Theatre School, where he studied under Barbara Buckmaster, Belinda Quirey MBE, Norman Ayrton and Charles Duff, winning Mike Loades' prize fight competition with Christopher Chaplin, son of Charlie Chaplin.

He took over as Artistic Director of the multi award-winning Mu-Lan Theatre Company[2][non-primary source needed] from Glen Goei in 1997. Before the company closed due to a withdrawal of funding from the London Arts Board in 2005, he implemented the UK's first East Asian Youth Theatre and East Asian New Writing Programmes, working with the Shared Experience, Paines Plough and Royal Court Theatre theatre companies. He also created and wrote for the UK's first East Asian sketch comedy troupe, "Mu-Lan's Frying Circus", and he produced and directed the 1st British Chinese repertory theatre production of Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet at Basingstoke Haymarket and Jersey Opera House, set in Shanghai in the 1930s.[3] Under his leadership, Mu-Lan was nominated for the Manchester Evening News Awards (winner), Diverse Acts Award (winner), Carlton Multi-Cultural Achievement Award and the Peter Brook Empty Space Award. Hyu himself was nominated for a Chinese Community Pearl Award in 2006 for Excellence in Media.

Under the banner of Mu-Lan, Hyu wrote and starred in the controversial[4] 4-part C4 satirical TV sketch show, The Missing Chink.[5][6] He was Associate Producer of the UK's first British Chinese sketch comedy TV show pilot, Sweet n Sour Comedy, produced by Baby Cow Productions.[7][8][9]

In 1999, as an actor, Hyu created the part of Timothy Wong, The Chinese Elvis in Charlotte Jones' award-winning play Martha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis at the Octagon Theatre Bolton.[10] He went on the play the part again in 2001 with Belinda Lang in the role of Martha and again lastly in 2007 with Maureen Lipman. Hyu's performance in this part in 1999 was so popular that he received multiple offers of work as an Elvis impersonator.[11] Living close to the famous Gracelands Palace Chinese Elvis restaurant on the Old Kent Road in South East London,[12] Hyu started working there as "ChineseElvis",[13] an Elvis Tribute character act,[14] who gained some fame in the UK most notably for fronting a national advertising campaign for AOL[15] and winning an International Elvis charity special edition of The Weakest Link, raising £5750 for the NSPCC.[16] In 2005, Hyu went back to Harrogate to perform as ChineseElvis as part of a gala night of fundraising for the Royal Hall.[17] Hyu stars in one of the videos made by Junkie XL for his 2002 worldwide hit remix of A Little Less Conversation.[18] Hyu has appeared at many London venues as ChineseElvis, including the Hippodrome, London, Oxo Tower, Annabel's, The Ivy as well as The Jolly Roger party boat in Barbados. People who have hired him for private functions include Sir Bob Geldof, Angelina Jolie, Richard Caring and Justin Lin.

Publicity photograph of Paul Hyu as ChineseElvis, 2004

Films

[edit]
Year Work Role Notes
TBA Meet the Lees Tony Chung Also known as Fortune Cookies; Screen Northants
2018 Jim Knopf und Lukas der Lokomotivführer Wise Man IV Warner Bros
2017 A Christmas Prince Deputy Press Secretary Netflix
2014 The Lovers and the Despot Shin Sang-Ok Hellflower
2001 The Lost Battalion Private Stanley Chinn A&E
1999 Wing Commander Richardson 20th Century Fox
1999 Everybody Loves Sunshine Ian Gothic Films
1998 The First 9 1/2 Weeks Harry Long Lions Gate
1995 Detonator 2: The Nightwatch CIA Technician British Lion Film

Television

[edit]
Year Work Role Notes
2022 Doctors Iain McDonagh 1 episode[19]
2021 Shakespeare & Hathaway Season 4 ep 9 [20] Ben Yang BBC production
2019 Blue Moon Martin Daybreak Pictures (C4) production
2018 Absentia Season 1 Erick Shen Sony TV Networks production for Amazon Prime
2017 SOKO München[21] Ngo Minh Hai UFA Fiction production for ZDF
2016 Vera Season 6 ep1 Huang ITV production
Doctor Who Episode: "Sleep No More" Deep-Ando BBC production
2014 Happy Valley Mickey Yip BBC production
2011 Not Going Out Karaoke Host BBC production
2009 Coronation Street Dr. Martin ITV production
2008 Rather You Than Me[22] Dr. Ling BBC production
2008 EastEnders Dr. Theara BBC production
2006 Bad Crowd Wayne Tiger Aspect production
2005 Funland Bryan BBC production
2004 The Marchioness Disaster (tv film) Jonathan Phang ITV production
2003 The Bill Jake Cousins ITV production
2002 Casualty Dr. Tom Bardley BBC production
2001 Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible Inspector Fong of Scotland Yard BBC production
1995 Echt Harder David Li Objectiv Film GmbH production for RTL
1993 One Foot in the Grave Youth in Takeaway BBC production
1992 The Blackheath Poisonings Oriental Gentleman ITV productions

Video games

[edit]
Year Work Role Notes
2023 RoboCop: Rogue City Prison Warden Also Additional voices
2019 Total War: Three Kingdoms Yuan Shao (plus expansion pack vs Cao Cao) SEGA
2018 Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom World Filler Characters English version
2012 007 Legends Goldfinger Soldier / Breeder Also Additional voices
2011 Driver: San Francisco Additional Voices
2010 James Bond 007: Blood Stone Additional Voices
2010 Just Cause 2 Government Pilot (lead role)
2004 Vietcong: Purple Haze Vietnamese Point Man (reprised role)
2004 Vietcong: Fist Alpha Vietnamese Point Man (reprised role)
2003 Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior Tau Trooper
2002 Vietcong Vietnamese Point Man (starring role)
2001 Dropship: United Peace Force Dropship Pilot (lead role)
2000 Hitman (franchise) Chinatown Voices (every voice)

Theatre

[edit]
Year Production Role Location
2023 Chinese Elvis presents: The Diverse Elvis Spectrum[23] Chinese Elvis Colchester Arts Centre
2019 This is What Happens To Pretty Girls[24] Charles Lee Purvis Pangdemonium, Singapore
2018 Othellomacbeth Brabantio / Duncan Lyric Theatre Hammersmith
2009 Breakfast at Tiffany's Party Guest Theatre Royal, Haymarket
2007 Martha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis[25] Timothy Wong Birmingham Repertory Theatre, No 1 Tour
2003 US and Them Maynard, Timothy, Waiter Hampstead Theatre
2001 Martha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis[26] Timothy Wong Watford Palace
1999 Martha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis[27] Timothy Wong Octagon Theatre Bolton, Liverpool Everyman
1998 Take Away Stephen Lyric Theatre (Hammersmith) London
1997 The Fantasticks[28] Mute Singapore Repertory Theatre, Singapore
1996 New Territories White, Pig Yellow Earth Theatre, London
1995 The Wind in the Willows Rabbit, Parkinson RNT Old Vic
1993 The Magic Fundoshi[29] Maid, Taro, priest Singapore Repertory Theatre, Singapore
1993 Three Japanese Women Hoji Mu-Lan Theatre Company at Soho Theatre
1992–94 Miss Saigon Phan Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
1992 The Merchant of Venice Lorenzo / Prince of Morocco Sherman Theatre
1991 Hiawatha[30] Hiawatha Royal Lyceum Theatre
1990–91 Titus Andronicus Aaron CCQ, Dusseldorf
1990 M. Butterfly Comrade Chin Deutsches Schauspielhaus

Radio Drama

[edit]
Year Work Role Notes
2023 A Many Splendoured Thing[31] Humphrey/Third Uncle BBC radio 4
2021 The Fourth Doctor Adventures; Daughter of Destruction Genghis Khan/Guard Big Finish Productions
2020 Doctor Who: The Early Adventures[32] Oddiyana Big Finish Productions
2019 Doctor Who: Wicked Sisters Wei/Mark/Wade Big Finish Productions
2018 Enigma of China; Inspector Chen Novels[33] Detective Wei BBC radio 4
2018 Jenny The Doctor's Daughter: Neon Reign[34] Po Big Finish Productions
2017 Lights, Camera, Kidnap![35] Shin Sang-Ok BBC radio 4
2016 Tracks[36] Man Seok BBC radio 4
2015 Dostoevsky & The Chickens[37] Chief BBC radio 3
2012 Stargate SG-1: An Eye For an Eye[38] Lieutenant Col. Yin Big Finish Productions
2010 The Patience of Mr Job[39] Mr Lucy BBC radio 4
2010 The Secret Pilgrim[40] Henry, Thug BBC radio 4
2010 The Honorable Schoolboy[41] Charlie Marshall[42] BBC radio 4
2009 Rendezvous with Rama[43] Li Kwok BBC radio 4
2009 The Gold Farmer[44] Chao BBC radio 4
2008 The Letter[45] Ong Chi Sen BBC radio 4
2007 The Lover[46] The Lover BBC radio 4
2005 The Story of the Stone Bao-Yu BBC World Service
1991 Herge – The Adventures of Tin Tin; Tin Tin in Tibet Chang BBC radio 4

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Paul Hyu". Visible Chinese. 11 December 2007. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  2. ^ "Mu-Lan Theatre Company". Facebook. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  3. ^ "Mu-Lan Theatre Company". British Black and Asian Shakespeare Performance Database. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  4. ^ Plunkett, John (21 January 2004). "Channel 4 under fire over 'racist' show". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  5. ^ Banks-Smith, Nancy (20 January 2004). "The Great Nazi Cash Swindle – Missing Chink". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  6. ^ "The Missing Chink". ChineseElvis. 14 December 2015. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  7. ^ "Sweet 'n' Sour Comedy (2004)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 30 September 2017. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  8. ^ List of shows produced by Baby Cow Productions, including 2004 Sweet and Sour
  9. ^ "Is this the year of the Dragon?". The Independent. 23 March 2004. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  10. ^ "Samuel French page for Martha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis". Samuel French.co.uk. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  11. ^ "Martha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis: Paul Hyu interview". HEY Today. 8 February 2016. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  12. ^ Rohrer, Finlo (15 August 2002). "Rise of the Chinese Elvis". BBC News. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  13. ^ "ChineseElvis – the online home to the UK's most popular award-winning Chinese Elvis Impersonator!". ChineseElvis. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  14. ^ FitzGerald, James (14 August 2017). "These Londoners Make A Living From Playing Elvis Presley". Londonist. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  15. ^ chineseelvis888 (18 April 2011). "ChineseElvis sings and stars in AOL advert, UK 2004–2006". Retrieved 26 December 2017 – via YouTube.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ chineseelvis888 (26 June 2014). "Weakest Link Elvis Special UK Full Episode". Retrieved 26 December 2017 – via YouTube.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ "Night of delights for Royal Hall appeal". Harrogate Advertiser. 28 June 2005. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  18. ^ chineseelvis888 (14 August 2010). "Junkie XL vs ChineseElvis". Retrieved 26 December 2017 – via YouTube.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ Timblick, Simon. "Doctors spoilers: Valerie Pitman BREAKS THE RULES!". What to Watch. (Future plc). Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  20. ^ "BBC iPlayer's page for Season 4 episode 9 "Time Decays"".
  21. ^ "ZDF's SOKO München page for the episode "Wutbürger"". ZDF.de. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  22. ^ "Frankie Howerd: Rather You Than Me". BBC Four. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  23. ^ "Elvis Presley inspired tribute show coming to Colchester".
  24. ^ "This is What Happens to Pretty Girls – Pangdemonium".
  25. ^ Orme, Steve (2007). "Theatre review: Martha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis at Birmingham Rep". British Theatre Guide. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  26. ^ Cavendish, Dominic (14 February 2001). "Cross-dressing, wicked impersonations and bitter truths". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  27. ^ Wainwright, Jeffrey (20 April 1999). "Arts: Theatre: Reality whipped into a delightful froth". The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  28. ^ "Cast List of Singapore Rep's 1977 production of The Fantasticks". Singapore Repertory Theatre. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  29. ^ "Singapore Rep's page for The Magic Fundoshi with cast". Singapore Repertory Theatre. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  30. ^ "Scottish Theatre Archive – Event Details". Special Collections Department, University of Glasgow Library. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  31. ^ "A Many-Splendoured Thing, Part 1". BBC Radio 4.
  32. ^ "The Secrets of Det-Sen, Doctor Who the Early Adventures". Big Finish.
  33. ^ "BBC Radio 4, Drama, Inspector Chen Novels, Enigma of China". BBC Radio 4.
  34. ^ "Jenny – The Doctor's Daughter – News – out now – Big Finish".
  35. ^ "Episode 1, Lights, Camera, Kidnap!, Drama". BBC Radio 4. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  36. ^ "Series 1, Tracks". BBC Radio 4. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  37. ^ "Dostoevsky and the Chickens, The Wire". BBC Radio 3. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  38. ^ "3.1. Stargate SG-1 Series 03 Part 1". Big Finish.com. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  39. ^ "Justin Butcher – The Patience of Mr Job, Afternoon Drama". BBC Radio 4. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  40. ^ "The Secret Pilgrim – Episode guide". BBC Radio 4 Extra. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  41. ^ "The Honourable Schoolboy – Episode guide". BBC Radio 4 Extra. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  42. ^ "The Complete Smiley". Radio Times.
  43. ^ "Rendezvous with Rama, Classic Serial". BBC Radio 4. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  44. ^ "The Gold Farmer, The Wire". BBC Radio 3. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  45. ^ "The Letter, Mr Maugham's Journey Home". BBC Radio 4 Extra. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  46. ^ "The Lover, 15 Minute Drama – Episode guide". BBC Radio 4. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
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