The Final Exam: Gao Kao at The Whisper Current Productions

The Final Exam: Gao Kao

What if your biggest exam became a fight for your life?

On the day of the Gaokao — China’s notoriously demanding university entrance examination — a student enters the exam hall expecting to prove herself. Instead, she finds herself facing her own examiners as physical opponents, each representing a different subject and a different idea of success.

Through a blend of physical theatre, stage combat, multimedia projection and poetic storytelling, The Final Exam: Gao Kao explores the pressure of achievement, the search for identity, and the question every student eventually faces: after years of learning how to answer questions, do we still know how to ask them?

Inspired by the experiences of generations of students navigating intense educational expectations, this powerful new work examines ambition, sacrifice and the human cost of chasing the “perfect” answer.

A bold and thought-provoking theatrical experience about education, freedom and finding your own voice.

Show Information:

The Final Exam : Gao Kao

Camden Fringe 2026

Sunday 23rd Aug at 5pm

Sunday 23rd Aug at 7:30pm

Monday 24th Aug at 5pm

Monday 24rd Aug at 7:30pm

Recommended for ages 14+.

Content Warnings: Depictions of violence, suicide, themes of death, psychological distress,

emotional abuse, physical restraint, and references to war.

Venue: Bridewell Theater, 14 Bride Ln, London EC4Y 8EQTickets: For 5pm £10 | £8 (concession) | Running time: 75min (no interval)

For 7:30pm £14 | £10 (concession) | Running time: 75min (no interval)

Ticket Link: https://camdenfringe.com/events/gao-kao/

https://sbf.org.uk/whats-on/view/gao-kao/

Creative Team

Xinyue (Sammi) Xing – Director & Writer

Ziwen Gong – Dramaturg

Qinyi Peng - Assistant Director

Baysalt Gui (TBC) – Lighting Designer / Operator

Lios Qi – Sound Designer / Operator

Naomi (Ruizhi) Zhang – Set & Video Designer

Jieming (Benben) Lan – Costume Designer

Production Team

Lulu Liu – Producer

Jieming (Benben) Lan – Production Manager

Queena (YunShi) Huang – Stage Manager

Noemie Grandmougin (TBC) - Production Assistant

Zih-ying Huang – Business Producer

Yiwei Shen (Simon) – Marketing Director

Qinyi Peng – Production Photographer

Cast:

Shanshan Wu – Student 1 & Fight Captain

Shiwei Chen – Student 2 & Sign Language Coach (Hong Kong System)

Le (Bella) Cai – Teacher / Parent (Cover Student 1 & Student 2) & Movement Captain

Yitong Fu – Maths Teacher / Deputy Head of School

Yijia Gong – English Teacher / Psychologist

Karina Xuehan Jiang – Swing (All Teacher Roles)

Xinyue (Sammi) Xing – Swing (All Roles)