Dancing toward meaningful connections

Every autumn, the established Beijing People's Art Theatre becomes the stage for an electrifying convergence of international theater companies, each bringing their most avant-garde, experimental, and critically acclaimed works to the country's capital.

This annual event, under the title Beijing People's Art Theatre International Theatre Festival, is more than just a festival for artistic innovation. It's a cultural event that attracts theater lovers, critics, and creatives from around the world, offering a rare opportunity to experience cutting-edge global performance art, announced Feng Yuanzheng, president of the theater, in Beijing on Sept 15.

From Oct 11 to Nov 26, the festival will bring together artists, audiences and ideas under the theme "Gathering", setting the tone for a festival that promises dazzling performances and meaningful connections.

Over six weeks, the city's most iconic theater spaces, such as the Capital Theatre, the Cao Yu Theatre at the Beijing International Theatre Center, and the small theater and experimental theater of Beijing People's Art Theatre, will host more than 50 events.

The lineup includes 14 acclaimed productions from nine countries, staged in 42 performances offering both large-scale invited works and an all-new small theater program.

Theatergoers can participate in workshops, art lectures, theatrical screenings, and forum sessions, which will spark dialogue and immerse audiences from multiple perspectives.

"We aim to transform the theaters into a melting pot of genres, techniques and storytelling traditions during the festival. Audiences are greeted with a variety of performances, from boundary-pushing productions that deconstruct the very notion of theater to immersive shows that invite the audience to participate in the experience," says Feng.

"Some of the most daring and innovative companies from around the world will push the limits of what theater can be," he adds.

Feng's theater will perform a restaging of Shakespeare's iconic play Hamlet, which will debut at the festival. The production features Feng as the co-director and combines a new visual approach with a talented young cast.

According to Feng, though the theater has staged several versions of Hamlet in its seven-decade-long history, this latest rendition will introduce a new interpretation of the classic, inviting the audience, especially young people, to feel the pulse of the present and the weight of history.

One of the defining features of this annual gathering is its commitment to avant-garde theater — productions that challenge conventional structure and offer new narrative forms.

The Threepenny Opera, by the Berliner Ensemble (Brecht Theater), Germany, will also debut in Beijing during the festival.

The Berliner Ensemble, one of the most prestigious international institutions, has written one of the most important pages in the history of theater. The Threepenny Opera is famous as the "show with music", which premiered in 1928. A story about love, betrayal, business, and morals, the production was written by Bertolt Brecht and composed by Kurt Weill. Director Barrie Kosky constructs the stage using giant scaffolding on which the actors climb and move.

"We are very excited to bring this production to Beijing. The Threepenny Opera has a long, powerful history. I studied in Germany in the 1990s, which allowed me to see many theatrical productions and learn about theater styles that are much different from Chinese theater," says Feng.

Les Paravents (The Screens), one of the founding pillars of contemporary French theater, by the Theatre National de Bretagne (the National Theater of Brittany), will make its China debut at the festival.

Premiered in 1966, the production portrays a family during the Algerian War (1954-62), and brings together 100 characters. Decades after its premiere, Arthur Nauzyciel directs 16 performers in this updated version that also tells the story of immigrants in France.

Other highlights of the festival are The Servant of Two Masters by the Piccolo Teatro di Milano, the first public repertory theater in Italy, founded in 1947, and the return of the Georgian New Theatre, which will stage its production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

This year, the festival will introduce a "small theater program" for the first time, showcasing six avant-garde and experimental works from countries such as Austria, the United Kingdom, Spain, Bulgaria, and Germany. The performances include physical puppetry, puppet theater, monodrama, and more. Audiences are invited to not only attend the performances but also participate in workshops.

"These initiatives expand the variety of productions and deepen exchange across the theater community. We want to connect artists with audiences, and inspire cultural dialogue," adds Zhang Peng, deputy director of the Beijing People's Art Theatre.