Interview: A Poetic Journey through Identity, Memory and Mythology

Bound by the Wind, SPID Theatre

With Camden Fringe 2025 now just three weeks away, we continue our daily interviews to give a real taste of what this festival is all about. Every day during July we will publish new interviews, with over 100 planned. You can find all our the currently published interviews here.

Bound by the Wind is a powerful new play exploring identity, memory, and transformation in the wake of war. When Mulan spares a Rouran prisoner, their shared journey reopens wounds, questions loyalties, and redefines what it means to be a hero. Blending historical imagination with video game aesthetics and physical storytelling, this production brings together stylised stage combat, original movement, and haunting sound design.

Xinyue (Sammi) Xing and Tingyu Wen opened up about their inspiration for this unusual show before it plays at SPID Theatre this August (full dates and tickets available here).

What can audiences expect from the show? 

Bound by the Wind is a bold, poetic journey through identity, memory, and mythology. Blending historical fiction with surreal elements, the play reimagines the legend of Hua Mulan as a fractured narrative told through three selves: a game avatar, a war hero, and a prisoner of war. Audiences can expect stylised movement, haunting soundscapes inspired by video game music, and emotionally charged confrontations that blur the lines between heroism and humanity.  This story matters now because for us, Bound by the Wind speaks to questions of identity, power, and history that feel urgent in today’s world — stories that help us understand ourselves and each other better.

This is not a traditional retelling — it’s a deeply personal exploration of what happens to a ‘goddess of war’ when the war is over. It’s about honour, truth, and the cost of transformation. If you’re drawn to layered characters, strong female leads, and experimental storytelling that doesn’t shy away from emotional intensity, Bound by the Wind offers a fresh, visceral experience you won’t forget.

Is Camden Fringe going to be the show’s first time on stage, or have you already performed elsewhere?

Camden Fringe will mark the first full staging of Bound by the Wind. We presented a short 10-minute extract at a scratch night earlier this year, which received encouraging feedback — particularly for its atmospheric sound design and its unique, layered depiction of Mulan. But this will be the first time we tell the story in its entirety.

We chose Camden Fringe because it offers a rare platform for emerging companies like ours — fresh out of drama school, full of ideas, but limited in budget. It’s one of the few festivals that welcomes experimentation while giving us real exposure to curious, open-minded audiences. As our debut production, Bound by the Wind is ambitious in scale and form, and Camden Fringe feels like the right place to take that leap.

What was your inspiration behind the show?

The inspiration came from a question that haunted me: what happens to a legend after the legend ends? Growing up with the story of Hua Mulan, I was always fascinated not just by her bravery, but by what might come after the war — when no one needs a hero anymore, but the burden of being one still lingers.

I also drew from my love of video games and mythology. The way games use music and avatar systems to construct identity sparked my imagination: what if Mulan’s identity splintered under the weight of how others perceive her? What if her enemy — a captured Rouran woman — became the one who forces her to confront her truth?

The show became a way to explore trauma, gender, and self-erasure, framed through myth and fantasy. It’s both intimate and epic, and deeply rooted in my own journey as a female director navigating tradition and reinvention.

How long have you been working on the play?

The idea for Bound by the Wind began forming in late 2024, but serious development started in early 2025. It’s been around six months of writing, re-writing, workshopping, and shaping the story with a small group of collaborators — many of whom I met during my time at Royal Holloway.

It’s evolved a lot in that time: from a quiet solo piece to a layered three-character play with a rich sonic and physical language. Every draft has brought us closer to its emotional core, and Camden Fringe now feels like the perfect place to share it with a live audience for the first time.

Is this version how you originally envisioned it or has it changed drastically since you first put pen to paper?

It’s changed a lot — and in the best possible way. When I first began, I imagined a quiet, introspective monologue from Mulan’s perspective. But as the writing developed, I realised her story couldn’t be told alone. Her internal conflict needed external pressure — and that’s how the other two characters were born: her younger avatar-self and a captured enemy who reflects back the truth she’s trying to suppress.

The structure became more fragmented, the music more immersive, and the themes more complex. What stayed constant, though, was the heart of it: a heroine trying to reclaim her humanity after being turned into a myth. So while the shape of the play has changed drastically, its emotional truth is exactly what I set out to explore.

What was it that drew you to this show and role?

As the writer and director of Bound by the Wind, I was drawn to this piece because it let me merge my love of mythology, history, and experimental storytelling into one project. I’ve always been fascinated by characters who live between worlds — and Mulan, as both a cultural icon and a deeply human figure, offered a perfect canvas to explore themes of gender, memory, and identity.

SX: Directing this piece also gave me the chance to build a world that uses sound, movement, and layered timelines — something I’ve always dreamed of doing. As a recent graduate, I was craving a project that felt both personal and theatrical, and this play gave me that challenge and joy.

What is it about your character that you most enjoy?

SX: What I enjoy most about playing Mulan is the tension she carries — between being revered as a war hero and quietly questioning whether any of it was truly worth it. She’s not just a fighter; she’s someone who has lost herself in everyone else’s expectations. Getting to explore that unraveling — especially through silence, stillness, and subtle gestures — is a deeply rewarding challenge as a performer.

HC: Kuntuya fascinates me because she refuses to be just a victim or a villain. She’s angry, sharp, and unexpectedly vulnerable. I love how she holds her ground against Mulan — even when she’s at a disadvantage — and how she gradually reveals a complexity that goes beyond the enemy label. There’s something fierce and poetic about her that I really connect with.

How challenging has this role been for you?

SX: This role has been one of the most emotionally complex I’ve ever taken on. Mulan is someone who has spent years wearing armour — both literally and metaphorically — and peeling that away on stage, moment by moment, is incredibly vulnerable work. It’s challenging to balance her strength with her inner fragility, especially while holding space for silence, memory, and shame. But that’s also what makes it so fulfilling.

HC: Kuntuya is emotionally raw and intellectually sharp — and playing someone who’s both traumatised and calculating has pushed me to dig deeper into my instincts. Her dialogue isn’t just words; it’s survival. Finding the line between her hatred, her pain, and her surprising empathy for Mulan has been a real acting challenge. It demands emotional honesty in every scene.

What brought you all together?

We all met while studying directing at Royal Holloway, University of London. Over countless hours in studios, seminars, and late-night conversations, we discovered we shared a passion for bold, cross-cultural storytelling — especially work that plays with form and explores identity in layered ways.

Founding Scroll Arc Theatre felt like a natural next step. For Bound by the Wind, we reached out to collaborators from both university and beyond — people whose work we admired and whose voices aligned with the story’s complexity. Many of us are from different cultural and creative backgrounds, but what unites us is a shared commitment to making theatre that is both intimate and epic, personal and political.

Being a fringe festival, we all know sets have to be bare minimum, how have you got around this with your set and props?

We embraced the minimalism of the Fringe wholeheartedly. Our set uses simple but evocative pieces — a few key props and lighting shifts create different times and places without clutter. Sound design plays a huge role in painting the atmosphere, allowing us to suggest vast landscapes or inner worlds with just a few elements on stage. This simplicity keeps the focus on the characters’ emotional journeys while still feeling immersive.

What has been the biggest challenge in realising the writer’s vision for the show?

Translating a multi-layered, non-linear script into a live performance has been the biggest challenge. As the director, balancing the poetic imagery with clear storytelling required careful pacing and trust in the performers’ ability to convey subtle emotions. Also, integrating sound and movement seamlessly to reflect the play’s themes took lots of experimentation and collaboration.

How important is audience interaction to you?

While our show isn’t an interactive piece in the traditional sense, we aim for a strong emotional connection. We want the audience to feel like they’re stepping into Mulan’s conflicted world — to be moved by her struggles and revelations. Moments of silence and stillness invite the audience to lean in, reflect, and fill the spaces with their own thoughts.

Are there any plans for what comes next after the show has finished its run – for you or the show?

We hope Bound by the Wind will tour to other festivals and venues interested in experimental theatre and stories that explore identity and myth. We’re also considering workshops to develop the play further, especially to deepen the sound and physical theatre elements. Our ambition is to bring this story to wider audiences both in the UK and internationally.

What’s the most valuable piece of advice you’ve received during your career, and how has it influenced your work on this show?

“Be fearless in storytelling.” This has pushed us to explore difficult themes and experiment with form in Bound by the Wind, trusting that honesty and boldness connect most deeply with audiences.

What words of advice/encouragement would you give anyone thinking about doing Camden Fringe next year?

Go for it — it’s a brilliant platform to test your work, meet other creatives, and learn fast. The Camden Fringe atmosphere is inspiring, and even small steps there can open big doors.

That’s certainly an inspiring idea to motivate anyone thinking of setting out on this path. Thanks again to both of you for your time, it’s certainly helped bring your ideas alive.

You can see Bound by the Wind at The SPID Theatre on various dates between Sunday 2 and Friday 22 August by clicking on the link below for tickets.