Yuanzi/原子 is a doomer in her 20s and a Chinese living in London. Under the pressure of a friend, she takes on a bizarre journey to her past by making a film about her life. Buried underneath her apathy, cynicism and doomerism, Yuanzi now finds herself back in a desert town called Factory 404/四零四厂, a Chinese city built with the sole purpose of hosting a nuclear weapon as well as the place where she spent the happiest time of her life with her dear grandpa, who first came to this city with utopian ideals and shining dreams.
Using a myriad of performance forms, Atom Boi works backwards from a numbed state of alienation to examine its influences embedded in a childhood upbringing dominated by utopian ideals, often inextricably bound up with USSR’s historical relationship with China.
“It means so much to be working at CPT, it’s such a good opportunity to work in a professional environment at my age. I didn’t think that was ever going to happen and it means the world to me. It’s really going to help prepare me for my future and where I want to go”
CYT participant and Camden student
