CHINESE students are the fastest-growing ethnic community in Britain, "but it's the one we hear least about," says York-born playwright Mary Cooper.

Her new play, researched over three years in tandem with former University of York linguistics student MW (Mimi) Sun, sets about telling their story, along with the interlinking stories of two earlier generations of the British-Chinese community. More particularly, the stories emerged from interviews in Leeds and West Yorkshire.

Food and its relationship with love and survival lie at the heart of From Shore To Shore, so much so that each performance by On The Wire has taken place in a Chinese restaurant, to the accompaniment of a two-course meal for audience members.

In the case of York, staff from the Sunrise Restaurant in Gillygate de-camped to the Spurriergate Centre to serve the likes of seaweed and vegetable soup and spring rolls before the start; Gong Bao Chicken, stir-fry eggs with garlic grass and boiled rice afterwards, all washed down with Chinese tea and plenty of chat.

Accompanied by multi-instrumentalist Angela Chan, David K S Tse's multi role-playing cast of seven performed against the backdrop of screens, a simple set design by Baoyi Liang that enabled quick scene changes and easy entries and exits. From behind the screens at one point emerged the sound of raised voices and a slap of the face: a most effective way to present domestic abuse.

The stories interwove China, Hong Kong and northern England with a combination of intrigue, fascinating revelations, an insight into family relationships, hopes, fears and plenty of humour too, both about Chinese stereotypes and the city of Leeds. A nourishing night in every way.