China
SPOTLIGHT ON CHINESE THEATRE
The Spotlight on China showcases new developments in Chinese theatre both at home and abroad. From performance reviews and interviews, to an ever-growing archive of essays, the series offers The Theatre Times' readers a window on the Chinese theatre landscape.
Tianjiao Li and Xuexi Li from Quirky Moth Theatre – China’s leading theatre company discuss the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on China’s theatre and its communities from the perspective of a theatre maker and spectator. Tianjiao Li and Xuexi Li talk about how the particular situation of artists in China made them resilient to the COVID-19 pandemic, encouraged experimentation, and increased their own visibility. They also explain why they think Theatre will survive the pandemic.
Is There a Right Way to Make Chinese Opera?
With countless adaptations, The Peony Pavilion is China’s answer to Swan Lake. But recent attempts...
Cross-cultural Encounters In World Theatre: Bertolt Brecht, The “Alienation” Effect And Chinese Drama
The German playwright and drama theorist Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956) is particularly famous for...
Ambiguous Space: A Review of the Chinese Play “L’histoire d’un Accident” at Avignon 2025
Feng Lu’s “L’histoire d’un Accident”, presented in Avignon 2025, offers a layered exploration of theatrical space inspired by Henri Lefebvre’s theory of spatial production. The play unfolds through a play-within-a-play structure, blending backstage conflict, parody, and audience disruption to challenge the boundary between fiction and reality. A planted “spectator” blurs the line between performance and life, turning spatial ambiguity into a central aesthetic strategy. Rather than seeking clarity, the production invites audiences to dwell in uncertainty, where ambiguity becomes an essential part of how space is experienced, performed, and emotionally understood.
From Lawyer to Lyricist/Librettist: An Artist Profile of Jill Ohayon
Jill Ohayon grew up believing there were only two respectable career paths: doctor or lawyer. And...
“Gangsters Of Hong Kong:” A New Stage Play Fleshes Out Triad Drama
Hong Kong’s reputation as a safe city is well-deserved. It ranks frequently among the top 10...
Trauma In Translation: Stratford’s Milestone Salesman In China
“My head feels like a bridge that all of Beijing has been walking over.” The stage is...
On Stage And In A Wheelchair
Zhao Hongcheng has made hundreds of videos about the challenges of life as a disabled person. Now...
Hustling at the Bottom of the Stand-Up Pyramid
All the rage in Beijing’s stand-up circuit, Pazilye Parhat says much of comedy stems from...
Welcome to the Slug Parade: Representation of Asexuality and Autism in “The Slug Show”
As London celebratess the 50th anniversary of the Pride Parade on July 2, I’m reminded of the only...
Ambiguous Space: A Review of the Chinese Play “L’histoire d’un Accident” at Avignon 2025
Feng Lu’s “L’histoire d’un Accident”, presented in Avignon 2025, offers a layered exploration of theatrical space inspired by Henri Lefebvre’s theory of spatial production. The play unfolds through a play-within-a-play structure, blending backstage conflict, parody, and audience disruption to challenge the boundary between fiction and reality. A planted “spectator” blurs the line between performance and life, turning spatial ambiguity into a central aesthetic strategy. Rather than seeking clarity, the production invites audiences to dwell in uncertainty, where ambiguity becomes an essential part of how space is experienced, performed, and emotionally understood.
Chinese Traditional Theatre in the UK: Interview with Joanna Zenghui Qiu on the 10th Anniversary of the UK Chinese Opera Association
In 2025, the UK Chinese Opera Association marks its 10th anniversary, celebrating a decade of bridging tradition and innovation in Chinese opera. Founded by Joanna Zenghui Qiu, a former performer with the Mei Lanfang Opera Troupe, the Association has become a cornerstone of Chinese cultural life in the UK. Inspired by her lead performance at the British Museum’s first Chinese New Year event during the 2015 UK-China Year of Cultural Exchange, Qiu established the Association to preserve and promote Chinese opera on British soil. Through performances at venues such as Buckingham Palace and grassroots programs like “Chinese Opera Fans’ Home” the Association has flourished as both an artistic platform and a diasporic community hub.
In China’s Voguing Houses, Queer Millennials Strike a New Pose
Ballroom culture is quietly flourishing in China’s cities, creating a safe space for young LGBT...
A Son, His Father, and Steampunk: Reliving Days of Future Past
Filmmaker Sun Yang discusses his recent documentary about visual artist Ma Liang, also known as...
The Sphinx’s Riddle Remains Unsolved. Scattering Chinese Art with “The First-Ever Metaverse Theatre Festival”
Even though for the last decade there have been numerous attempts to unleash Chinese theatre’s...
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