Tales of silent suffering through monologues
Women, who have close experiences of depression, pour their hearts out in stage production 'What happened to You?', reports Cheng Yuezhu.
By CHENG YUEZHU | China Daily | Updated: 2024-09-14 10:14
While the production features very few stage props, the vast majority of them are installation artworks by contemporary artists, including Heart by Xu Jingyu and Dog by Wu Gaozhong.
"This has always been Liao's approach to life performance. In the eyes of the public, artworks often seem a little lofty. They are to be framed, appreciated and not to be touched. But art itself should be closely connected to life. We've been thinking about how to create more interaction and connection between art and real people," Li says.
These installations are matched with each performer after communicating with them. Some performers requested specific imagery, while others were paired with installations that fit naturally into the performers' narratives.
Liao says that before directing this production, she had limited knowledge about depression. However, upon learning about its increasing trend, especially among the younger generations, she hopes that this production can spark discussions, and enhance public awareness and understanding of depression.