Tales of silent suffering through monologues

The project was started by young artist Li Ruqi, better known as Kouzi. Having gone through depression herself with some friends, she observed that when you meet people with depression, you often ask them what happened, in an attempt to find a logical answer so they can understand.

However, for people with depression, this question can be overwhelming and almost impossible to explain, because the personal, complex and painful feelings are difficult to express. Most of the time, they simply answer, “Nothing. I’m fine.”

“Depression is not something that can be generalized. Each person’s causes and experiences are unique. So, rather than pushing the concept of depression with a fixed narrative, I prefer to give everyone a chance to express themselves,” she says.

Together with Liao, the director, she reached out to her close friends to find those who would be willing to participate in the production and share their experiences on stage.