Counterclockwise from top left: The Modern Drama Valley theater festival, from April 20 to May 8, will see 23 theater productions in Shanghai. including Frida Ki Allo by the Fly Theatre from Athens, Greece, Metamorphoses by writer Wang Meng, and street performances with a puppet band and floor piano.
The Modern Drama Valley theater festival is hosted by Jing'an district authorities, Shanghai Media Group and Shanghai Theatre Academy.
A festival will see 23 theater productions in Jing'an district, Shanghai, and will also feature more than 300 activities, including street performances, a jazz festival and bus parades.
Hosted by Jing'an district authorities, Shanghai Media Group and Shanghai Theatre Academy, the Modern Drama Valley theater festival, from April 20 to May 8, has been held annually since 2009, except for 2020 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than 85 percent of the productions will be shown in Shanghai for the first time. These productions include three shows from abroad.
"In the past few years, China's original theater scene has made rapid progress, and many new talented performers have emerged," says Xu Zhongping, program director of the festival.
"We can't help but notice the growing number of new original shows, the rise of women theater workers, and quality adaptation of literary works, such as Nobel Prize winner Mo Yan's Red Sorghum, and Metamorphoses by Wang Meng, which will be the opening show of the festival."
Among the many people who are excited to see the return of the festival is Constantine Chiriac, the founding chairman of the Sibiu International Theatre Festival and general manager of the Radu Stanca National Theatre in Sibiu, Romania.
The Radu Stanca National Theatre's production Oidip won the best foreign production award at the 2019 Modern Drama Valley.
Chiriac says that her theater company has maintained close ties with China through the years, and it will present a Romanian production of American playwright Edward Albee's play Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf at the festival in Shanghai.
"The Radu Stanca National Theatre is one of the oldest theaters in Europe. It's deeply rooted in the rich theatrical and cultural tradition of Sibiu, and I believe Albee's play about the crisis and disillusionment of the middle-class American will find resonance among audiences today," says Xu.
One of the other overseas productions is Frida Ki Allo by the Fly Theatre in Athens, Greece. The play is based on the tumultuous life story of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo and stars Katerina Damvoglou.
Xu says this production is one that China's original theater workers, especially small-theater producers, can learn much from as it features "outstanding technological support "that takes the form of soundscapes, animation and live video.
The third overseas show is La Gioia by Italian theater artist Pippo Delbono. In this production, performers share their real-life stories and take audiences on a journey in search of joy.
Apart from the formal theater shows, the festival will also feature four street performing groups from France and Italy that will present colorful performances involving live music, puppetry and public interaction.
"Modern Drama Valley is a festival that not only happens in the theater — we want people to come across drama shows in their neighborhood, at the street corner, or around shopping malls," says Chen Hong, head of the culture and tourism administration of Jing'an district.
To achieve this, Modern Drama Valley will introduce the drama-themed buses, which will parade around the district during the festival this year.
"You can hop on the bus to learn about the shows, buy tickets and other merchandise, get makeup done by a professional theater makeup artist, or encounter a guest speaker, writer or performer," says Chen.
The festival will also host an amateur drama competition that allows family members, neighbors, colleagues and friends to team up and perform a theatrical episode.
The final round will take place at the Jing'an District Cultural Center on May 7.
This year, Jing'an district authorities have pledged to subsidize 30 percent of the ticket price, meaning audiences will pay no more than 600 yuan ($87) for a ticket.
Contact the writer at zhangkun@chinadaily.com.cn
