Tutu Ching and Ensemble on Murmurs Devoured by the Sea
After the success of our 2025 Camden Fringe Interviews, we thought it only right to attempt a repeat for 2026. So throughout July we’ll be publishing new interviews each day to give a taste of what to expect from London’s best fringe theatre festival. The festival starts Monday 3 August this year, so we may give ourselves a couple of days off inbetween the end of the interviews and the first shows… then again, we might not.
You can find out more about Camden Fringe, along with details of every show playing this August here. You can also find all of this year’s interviews as they are published here.
How do you survive a loss you can never truly bury? Heading to the historic Theatro Technis for Camden Fringe 2026, Murmurs Devoured by the Sea confronts this haunting question through a spellbinding, non-verbal landscape. Conceived by director Tutu Ching and brought to life by an exceptional international ensemble, the production is deeply inspired by the real-life tragic case of Zhang Yingying, a Chinese student whose body was never recovered. Using a minimalist set where the cast physically shapes the volatile sea, the storm, and a grieving family’s internal world, the production offers a space for bottomless grief to be witnessed.
We sat down with Tutu, Charlotte Touboulic, Kyu Sim, Levenka Andrea, and Pearl Lee to talk about the power of physical storytelling, overcoming physical limitations, and syncing four separate minds into a single breath.
If you had to describe the vibe of your show in just one sentence, what would it be and how does it manifest on stage?
TUTU: It’s a hypnotic, melancholic dream: a dead fish cradled like a child, a woman who is never understood, and a funeral for who lives and grieves.
It manifests viscerally. Our set and costume designs are minimalist; instead, the cast physically shapes everything throughout the performance; the sea, the storm, the woman’s inner world, the funeral, and so on. It all happens through the ensemble’s physical movement. On top of that, we dig deep into our childhood memories and create a sort of gibberish by combining our favourite childhood songs in different languages.
Why is 2026 the perfect time for this show to be seen?
TUTU: Two reasons, and both are deeply personal. One: I created this piece in 2024 as a practical project in school, but it’s been simmering for two years, and it’s finally ready to be seen. Two: this show is inspired by the Zhang Yingying case; a Chinese student whose body was never recovered, whose parents are still raising money in 2026 to search for her body. Their grief is bottomless. This show is for anyone who has ever carried a loss they can’t bury. 2026 feels like the right time to let such grief be witnessed.
What was it that drew you to this project?
LEVENKA: I’ve seen different and shorter works in progress of this show from Tutu in the past and was mesmerized by it, so when the opportunity arose I was so happy to audition! I’m always drawn to stories that seem absurd at first but are rooted in human emotion and grief. Embodying grief within your body is better than any words could ever express.
How challenging has this physical role been for you?
CHARLOTTE: The last time I did a physical theatre performance was before lockdown and I am not as fit as I used to be, so I have had to remind myself to trust my body and take it slow when I need to. It’s okay to acknowledge my limitations and to explore different ways of moving my body.
What is the “secret sauce” that makes your group dynamic work on stage?
LEVENKA: Definitely listening and staying open toward each other. We all have different movement styles and instincts, but it’s such a delicious feeling when we share the same breath and feel our brains synchronize into being one thing instead of four different bodies.
What does “success” look like for you this August, beyond just ticket sales?
PEARL: For me, bringing the story to life and moving the audiences who watch the show from within is what makes it extremely fulfilling as a performer. Being able to share stories and lived experiences, to have it mean something, is so important to me personally that it goes beyond selling tickets. It’s the audience experience at the end of the day, and how they might leave the theatre feeling changed positively, which represents true success to me.
If you had to describe your show as a colour, what would it be?
PEARL: I see this show being painted with hues of blue and deep red. The blue represents the superficial level and what’s visible to others to perceive, while the red is what lies underneath; the emotions that are felt in the core of the characters.
If your show was a love letter to a specific person or idea, what would it be?
CHARLOTTE: This show is a love letter to mothers and parents everywhere. A mother’s love knows no bounds.
If budget or reality was not an issue, what’s the one piece of scenery/set you’d love to have?
KYU: Definitely sand, water, waves, and most importantly, dumpy air. The ocean is a very important element for us. Having those real elements on the stage will not only affect the audience but will have an impact on the performers as well. Hopefully, it would help us find more freedom so that we can travel into raw reality.
Many thanks to the whole team for sharing their thoughts with us. Murmurs Devoured by the Sea will play at Theatro Technis pm Wednesday 5 and Thursday 6 August as part of Camden Fringe.
