Beijing to host small theater festival till August

Theater festival, Story in Beijing, will be held at 24 theaters in the capital from June to August, along with a series of events, such as workshops and seminars.

These works span a wide range of genres, including traditional Chinese opera, musical theater, children's theater, and immersive theater. Performances will take place in various small theater venues, such as the NCPA Small Theater, small theater of Beijing Performing Arts Centre, the experimental theater of Beijing People's Art Theatre, and the small theater of Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center. Additionally, performances will be held in performance spaces like Huguang Guild Hall, and Star Theaters.

Among the productions for this festival, the Peking Opera, Ma Qian Po Shui (Water Splashed Before the Horse), the Kunqu Opera Butterfly Dream, and the Beijing Quju Opera My Life all display the charm of traditional Chinese theater through a contemporary aesthetic.

Historical dramas such as Under the Microscope and Old Stories of the Teahouse: The Dragon and Phoenix Jade Pendant use history as a mirror to reflect cultural heritage. Realistic plays like A Marriage and The Girl with Wings focus on contemporary life with dramatic language, evoking emotional resonance with the audience.

Small theaters are continually exploring and innovating performance formats to enrich the theatrical experience. The festival will also feature the immersive theatrical productions, such as The Great Detective Zhao Gane which authentically re-creates a scene from a 1990s' Beijing hutong, guiding the audience through a journey to uncover the truth behind a mysterious case. The immersive musical Till We Meet Again utilizes the unique architectural layout of the Huguang Guild Hall — with its "three stages and two courtyards" — and integrates modern lighting and projection technologies to construct a richly layered theatrical space.

First launched in 2012, the festival has presented a total of 204 productions, with more than 400 performances. It highlights the small-theater performances and offers platforms for young theater talents.