Music box opens to tune of valley memories

Music box: The outdoor theater utilizes recycled materials. Photo provided to Shanghai Star

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A new outdoor theater will celebrate its opening on Aug 1 with 15 performances of original musical Memories of the Valley at Shanghai Culture Square.

The Music Box by KFS Architecture is a patent design by Peter Fu, who is also the writer and director of the play. The theater has taken up an open space in the backyard of Shanghai Culture Square.

"It's a theater space all made of recycled materials," Fu says. The stage consists of four obsolete standard shipping containers, placed on four sides of the space. The central area, whose floor is made of recycled wood planks, can hold audiences of up to 300.

The building contains no concrete structure, and the natural draft is strengthened by the grid frames on the walls surrounding the audience zone, so that "it is cool after sunset, even without air conditioning".

"It's zero emission," Fu says. The use of recycled materials also saved the construction cost significantly. "Other theaters' air conditioning costs might be sufficient to cover our materials cost," the architect said.

Memories of the Valley is a site-specific production. Actors will be performing on three of the stage areas, while audiences sit on swivel chairs, and turn around to follow the performers.

Memories of the Valley is about three young people who reunite at the same valley on the same day 10 years after they first meet. Despite their differences and the changes in their lives, they set out to achieve something unusual.

IF YOU GO

Memories of the Valley

Ticket sales is open now for Aug 6-10 at 7:15 pm; the Music Box by KFS Architecture, in the Shanghai Culture Square Compound, 597 Fuxing Road Middle, Xuhui district,021-6472-6000