SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Audience Members Touched by Shen Yun’s Drama Exposing Persecution in China Today

Mar 22, 2026

3/22/2026Updated: 3/22/2026

SYDNEY, Australia—Shen Yun Performing Arts gave an enchanting performance at the Sydney Lyric Theatre on March 21. Robert Peter Webb, an agricultural contractor, made a 4-hour drive to see Shen Yun for the first time.

He was most impressed by the dance piece “The Steadfast Heart.” According to the program, “This contemporary story reflects the reality faced by countless people in China today. It tells of people who practice Falun Dafa (or Falun Gong), the meditation discipline guided by the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance. … But in 1999, the communist regime, fearing the practice’s popularity, launched a brutal campaign to wipe it out.” The dance dramatizes the story of a mother and son who face persecution for their faith.

Mr. Webb shared his understanding of what’s happening in China today. “I’ve followed a little bit of the story of Falun Gong and the persecution that they suffer and the atrocities that happen to them as far as organ harvesting and things like that. Just to see it on screen, it just really touches you. It gives you a sense of purpose to try and stop that sort of thing happening and make people aware of what’s going on.”

“It’s very brave to follow your faith, knowing full well that those atrocities could be performed against you at any given time,” he added.

“I think governments need to be made more aware of it, and draw attention to people so we understand what’s actually happening. A lot of it’s not publicized enough. So yes, it was pretty touching to see,” Mr. Webb said.

He expressed the dangers of losing the freedom of belief. “I think you can’t let people take away something that you love doing. It’s part of your life; it’s part of your culture. If we don’t stand up for things that we believe in, we won’t stand at all, and it'll be taken away from us,” he said.

Mr. Webb noted the threat of harassment that people, including in Australia, have faced. “I’ve seen a couple of things written by the CCP about trying to stop [Shen Yun] from performing. It just highlights what they’re actually doing to try and stop people from living their life. When you have a show like this, it’s just about expression, and that’s what brings it to life,” he said.

Mr. Webb said he was not afraid of any such threats. “We have one life, and I think you should live it true to yourself. If you believe in something, you should stand for it. Don’t let other people take that away from you. If it means you are subjected to ridicule or persecution, you still have to believe in yourself.

“I think there’s a higher purpose than what we see around us. I think everyone’s energy when you see a show like this ... it makes you feel good and it makes you understand that there’s more to life. I think that’s what gives us purpose,” Mr. Webb said.

He said the higher purpose is “not being in a system where you’re being dictated to. You have to live your life to your own ideals, as long as you’re not hurting anyone or not intimidating anyone. If you have belief, that’s what you should be able to do.”

He said the choreography and costumes entranced him. He also enjoyed the digital screen that incorporated the dancing. “The timing of everything was just amazing. It was just how fluid everything was,” he said.

“The dances are impeccable and just so professional.”

Reporting by Jing Li and Yvonne Marcotte.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.