I sat down with Stephanie Chu to find out more about July 15th to… coming to the Theatre Technis this November as part of Voila! Festival.

Can you tell me a little about your show and what audiences can expect?

July 15th to… is a one-woman movement and physical theatre show that takes audiences into Ella’s inner mind. Rather than simply telling the audience what happens to her, we show how she sees and experiences the world, and how her mental health changes throughout this particular period of her life.

Through movement, music, sound and fragmented storytelling, audiences get to experience the world through Ella’s eyes. It’s sometimes intense, sometimes disorienting, and there are also moments of humour and tenderness. I hope people feel as if they’ve stepped inside Ella’s world for 50 minutes, rather than just watching her story from the outside.

What drew you to this specific story?

This story is quite personal to me because it comes from my own lived experience. I wanted to take some of those feelings and experiences that can be difficult to put into words and explore them through theatre.

I also wanted to create something that might encourage people to pause and reflect. We often have ideas or assumptions about mental health, but we don’t always understand what it feels like to live through it. I wanted to share a perspective, open up a conversation, and hopefully help people view mental health with more understanding and compassion.

What has been the biggest challenge in bringing this production to life?

Probably finding the right balance between something deeply personal and something that an audience can connect with.

We really wanted to present bipolar disorder as honestly and realistically as possible, without turning it into a stereotype or making it seem like everyone’s experience is the same. It has so many different layers, and we didn’t want to simplify something that can be incredibly complex.

We also had to find a physical language for emotions and experiences that don’t always have words. Sometimes the body reacts before we even understand what’s happening. Figuring out how to communicate that on stage while keeping the story clear and emotionally truthful has been one of our biggest challenges.

How does the design of your show (set, sound, or lighting) impact the presentation of your story?

Design is a really important part of how we tell this story. The set isn’t just a background; it represents Ella’s mental health state and reflects the world she’s experiencing. As her mental state shifts, the space helps us communicate those changes visually.

Sound is particularly important too. We use a lot of breathing sounds, along with layered voices and music. There are many transitions throughout the show, and sound helps carry the audience from one emotional state or moment to another. We wanted it to feel immersive — almost as if you’re breathing alongside Ella and experiencing those shifts with her.

Lighting also helps shape the atmosphere, moving between different emotional landscapes. All these elements work together with the movement to bring the audience closer to Ella’s inner world.

If you could sum up the show in one word or phrase, what would it be and why?

“The body is the battlefield.”

It’s the show’s tagline, and I think it captures what we’re trying to explore. We often think of mental health as something that happens in the mind, but the body carries so much of it too—memories, tension, fear and emotions we can’t always explain.

For Ella, her body is both where the struggle takes place and where she finds ways to survive and create. It’s a battlefield, but it’s also the place where life continues.

July 15th to… runs at Theatre Technis, London, on 11 November. Tickets available at https://www.voilafestival.co.uk/events/july-15th-to/