Trapped in a complex web

Gong, also a veteran actress, plays the role of Violet. "This play is so rooted in the complexities of female relationships — the tension between mothers and daughters, the expectations placed on women, and the emotional labor that often goes unseen," she says. "As a director, I wanted to ensure that Violet's toxic love for her daughters is felt, as something born from her own suffering. It's easy to judge Violet from the outside, but I wanted the audience to see her struggles with the same empathy we offer to our own family members, even when they hurt us.

"I recognize that, as women, we are often expected to hold everything together: the family, the home, the emotions. In the play, this pressure is laid bare. The set represents this — on the outside, the house appears to be like any other family home. But inside, it's full of cracks, of unresolved pain. It's a powerful metaphor for what many women experience every day," adds Gong. Referring to the stage design, which features minimalist elements with a rotating, three-story house, the set symbolizes the "cage" in which the family members find themselves trapped.