Festival of Great Theater of China to showcase local, foreign works

The 2024 Great Theater of China Theater Festival, to be held from September to December, will feature seven domestic and overseas theatrical works.

The festival, one of Shanghai's Show Life cultural brands, provides a platform for theater artists from all over the world to share, collaborate, and experiment with various types of original works.

This year's festival integrates classical literature into theater, provides cultural interpretation and expression, and showcases innovative practices from various countries and regions.

The festival's opening act will be "The Tricks of Scapin," an engaging French comedy-drama by Molière.

Molière wrote the farce in 1671. It revolves around two young men whose father forces them to marry strangers. Scapin, their servant, helps to sway his father's thinking.

From September 20 to 22, Comédie-Fran?aise, a French theater group, will perform at the Great Theater of China.

"A Doll's House, Part 2," produced by Chinese mainland actress Zhang Ziyi, will inspire audiences to reflect on women's independence through the characters.

Innovative stage productions will also redefine the frontiers of modern comedy.

The Spanish comedy "Furniture" examines disputes among couples and explores the theme of "What is happiness?"

"Smith Run for Your Wife" is a Chinese comedy that is based on British playwright Ray Cooney's "Run for Your Wife."

Han Yijia, a Peking Opera performer, will star in "The Triple Songs of the Opera," which includes excerpts from the Shang vocal school.

Han has been a student of Shang School for 18 years. Shang Xiaoyun (1900–1976), a Peking Opera master, developed this vocal school, which is known for its stunning portrayals of bold and heroic female Peking Opera characters.

Giorgia Fumanti, a well-known Italian soprano who charmed locals with her rendition of the Shanghai World Expo theme song "Better City, Better Life," will perform in the city for the first time.

The percussion concert "Kafka's Four Rooms" takes inspiration from Kafka's literary works while combining Chinese and Western elements to deliver the diverse sounds of a city.

The festival's organizers said they will integrate trade, tourism and exhibitions with the event.

Theatergoers with tickets can claim discounts at Shanghai New World, the MIDNITE restaurant, and Madame Tussauds Shanghai.

Online tickets are available on Damai and Maoyan. The Great Theater of China's WeChat account has detailed information about the festival.

If you go:

Venue: Great Theater of China 中國大戲院

Address: 704 Niuzhuang Rd 牛莊路704號