Images and footage of the 2019/2020 Hong Kong protests sent shockwaves around the world, and in this one-woman show Mimi Martin explores the effects on the teenagers caught up in the chaos.
Millie is a truly international kid, having lived in Shanghai, Qatar and New York, and now her parents’ work is in Hong Kong she finds herself at a strict high school. She spends her time bunking off, partying into the night and trying to shake the slang label for foreigners ‘gweilo’, or ‘white ghost’. The discomfort of not feeling quite at home pervades the play; Millie hates the ‘British bitches’ in class but struggles to understand her best friend Jesse, who’s trying to persuade her to join the protests.
Mimi holds the audience’s attention through classroom note-passing, raves in protestor sanctuaries and the terror of being in the middle of a protest under attack by the police. With minimal costume changes and lighting, the euphoria of underage drinking and fear of losing the Hong Kong hangouts she loves are vividly brought to life. The protest becomes Millie’s as her friends and family suffer repression and intimidation, and her gradual descent into furious disbelief is tensely delivered.
It’s a deeply personal story, and Mimi was visibly moved by the end of a fourth sold-out show, urging the audience to research the protests and continue to fight against disinformation. Youth In Flames is a furious call to action that’s more relevant now than ever.
*****
Youth In Flames is at Zoo Playground from 12-24 Aug.