Shanghai's Theatre Young is set to host the world premiere of A Surrealist Conference, the latest innovative production by the renowned French company Mots De Tete Compagnie in collaboration with Resonate Horizon Theatre.

This puppet show, directed by Eric de Sarria and Nancy Rusek, promises to redefine theatrical storytelling through its unique focus on visual narrative. Instead of the traditional language-driven logic of theater, it conveys emotions and imagery through bodies, objects, light, shadows, and dynamic spaces.

In this production, puppetry extends beyond realistic representations to embrace the expressive potential of materials. Everyday objects such as paper, cloth, and boxes are transformed into living puppets, embodying the principles of "material theatre". This approach elevates these materials from mere props to central performers, highlighting their unique textures and transformative potential.

Audiences are invited into a poetic and absurd dreamscape where the boundaries between reality and illusion dissolve. The narrative unfolds as a woman meets a man, the man encounters a puppet, the puppet meets a shadow, the shadow follows a ghost, and the ghost returns to the woman. This cyclical journey through dislocated realms of time and space offers a mesmerizing exploration of identity and existence.

If you go

• When: Oct 16 at 7:30 pm; Oct 18 & 19 at 2 pm and 7:30 pm
• Where: Theatre Young, No 1155 Kongjiang Road, Yangpu district
• Duration: Approximately 50 minutes (no intermission)
• Ticket price: 180 yuan ($25.25) to 280 yuan
• Ticket purchase: Available through the official ticketing mini program (search for "YOUNG劇場微票務(wù)" in WeChat)

Source: WeChat account of Theatre Young at "THEATREYOUNG"