Qi Wang brings her show, The Dream of Being A Madame, to the Edinburgh Fringe next month.
“Two Girls, Two Destinies: to become a madame or independent? Exploring female independence and traditional expectations, inspired by the playwright’s real-life experiences.”
Where: theSpace on the Mile
When: 5-10 Aug
What are you looking forward to the most at Fringe?
This is my first time participating in the Edinburgh Fringe, and I am most looking forward to my work reaching a broader audience and having the chance to interact with seasoned professionals in the industry.
As a new creator on the UK stage this year, advice and feedback from experienced practitioners are incredibly important to me.
The Dream of Being a Madame has been very well received in London runs – where did the original idea come from and was it easy to draw on your own experiences?
The inspiration for this play comes from my life. I’ve provided free educational advice to many young women, hoping to give them better opportunities for education.
In doing so, I realized that the challenges to women’s growth are not solely due to a lack of opportunities provided by society.
Influences from family and parental relationships can be significant obstacles that require courage and determination to overcome.
Additionally, I noticed that the characters I write about are rarely portrayed by artists, and I hope to bring more awareness to the diversity and complexity of women’s lives to better foster their growth and development.
You focus on both female independence and tradition in the show. Are there still significant conflicts between the two for the modern woman?
Thank you for bringing up the issue of independence versus tradition.
In reality, modern women live amidst this division, especially East Asian women and immigrant women from East Asia.
The traditional values from East Asian backgrounds and the development of feminism in the Western world are not in sync, which creates a collision that permeates their daily lives, significantly influencing their life choices and draining their energy.
This invisible conflict is what I aim to highlight in my show, as it has a profound impact on their lives even though it might not be visible.
Are you looking forward to seeing any other shows in Edinburgh?
I also hope to have the opportunity to watch performances by other creators in Edinburgh and to exchange ideas with them, which could spark more creative ideas.
What is next for the show?
My script has been selected by London’s Omnibus Theatre and will be performed this September as part of their autumn program, featuring works from East and Southeast Asia.