We sat down for an exclusive interview with Mimi Martin whose show Youth in Flames is at Zoo Playground during the Edinburgh Fringe.
How did coming of age during the 2019 Hong Kong protests shape your understanding of safety, resistance, and personal responsibility?
Witnessing the strength it took for so many young Hong Kong demonstrators to fight for their democratic rights felt surreal – something I’d only ever seen in movies or other distant news stories. I never imagined it would become a part of my reality. It was a sobering experience to watch Hong Kong’s cultural identity being stripped away, to see people hospitalised for speaking out, and to recognise the silence of those who were afraid – or too comfortable – to act. I quickly learned that the freedom to speak your mind is not something to take for granted. My understanding of resistance shifted – no longer being a rebellious act but something rooted in responsibility, especially when others no longer have the freedom to speak for themselves.
What parallels do you see between the police crackdowns in Hong Kong and the militarised response to protests in cities like Los Angeles today?
While contexts differ, it’s not uncommon globally for governments to reframe peaceful protests as acts of chaos or rebellion – a strategy often used to justify crackdowns in a bid to silence them. In Hong Kong, for instance, calls for democracy were labelled as a threat to national security, with protestors rebranded from peaceful demonstrators to so-called “rioters.”
The patterns we see in cities like Los Angeles and Hong Kong are part of a much larger conversation – how younger generations around the world are often at the forefront of political and social movements. Youth in Flames explores these tensions through the lens of Hong Kong, highlighting how young people are navigating generational divides, political pressure, and the risks that come with speaking out.
How do you navigate the ethical tension between telling a story that is yours, and protecting those who no longer have the freedom to tell theirs?
The question of whether it was my story to tell had always been at the forefront of my mind. I was an expat in Hong Kong – I moved there when I was ten and stayed until I finished my studies. Though I wasn’t a local, I felt a deep responsibility to continue the conversation about what was happening there. I bore witness to a democratic society faced with national suppression – something many in the UK only remember hearing through filtered headlines.
Now that my family have recently moved back to the UK, I find myself in a position where I can speak more freely. But that freedom comes with ethical weight. Am I telling this story in a way that respects those who can’t? Am I amplifying their truths or appropriating their pain? In writing Youth in Flames, I made deliberate choices – to only write a narrative that I bore witness to, and to remain aware that whilst I have the freedom to speak, I am doing so in part on behalf of those who don’t.
What does Youth in Flames reveal about the way young people are positioned – and punished – when they refuse to stay silent?
Young people have always been at the forefront of change – often because we’re the ones most invested in the future. Youth in Flames reveals not only the courage and determination of Hong Kong’s youth but also the price they pay for refusing to stay silent. While some dismissed their actions as naïve or misguided, the reality was more complex: many in the older generation chose silence or inaction. The burden of resistance fell on young shoulders, often leading to hospitalisations and arrests.
But Youth in Flames isn’t a tragedy – it’s about amplifying voices. It shows that defiance isn’t reckless, but necessary. When remaining silent is safer, speaking out shows true strength.
How has distance from Hong Kong changed your relationship to the events you lived through and the story you’re telling now?
Now living in the UK, I’ve become more aware of how filtered the coverage of the Hong Kong protests was for those outside of it. Distance has sharpened my awareness of media bias and censorship; it’s difficult to know which news publications we’re able to trust now. Where is there bias? Who controls the narrative? How do you avoid blatant propaganda?
But distance has also given me space to reflect. When I was in Hong Kong, I was in the middle of it – reacting and witnessing. Now removed from the immediacy of it, I feel I can navigate the story fully and carefully, whilst revealing the global blind spots.
What role do you believe art can play in resisting the criminalisation of dissent and amplifying movements without overshadowing them?
Art, for me, has always been about creating conversation – becoming a truly powerful tool for resistance and change. I kept asking myself: why am I telling this story? What am I trying to achieve?
In a theatre landscape where political movements can sometimes be commodified for attention or revenue, it’s crucial to avoid reducing real struggles to marketable drama. Storytelling can keep suppressed narratives alive, offering truth where speech has been silenced. When art successfully amplifies movements, it foregrounds the people behind them. It resists becoming the answer, and instead becomes the amplifier.
Mimi Martin will be performing Youth in Flames at Zoo Playground in Edinburgh from the 1 to the 24 of August. Tickets available HERE.