With over 370 performances, Huichang Theatre Season 003 will unfold with the tagline "The World's Theatre in a Chinese Village" from May 23 to June 2, fostering global artistic exchanges while embracing local cultural creativity.

A decade ago, the US-born, Taiwan-based director and playwright Stan Lai introduced theatre to his hometown of Huichang, Jiangxi province. Over the past year, Huichang Theatre Village has hosted 698 performances by 65 international and domestic troupes, attracting 6.6 million visitors and cementing its status as a national cultural hub.

The upcoming season will feature top-tier international productions, including the Chinese premiere of Hamletmachine, conducted by Robert Wilson, a pioneer of experimental theatre, the China performance of Oresteia by Greek director Theodoros Terzopoulos and the poetic work Awakening by Italian artist Pippo Delbono.

Returning to his roots, Lai will re-stage his classic Menage a 13 with a fresh cast, including Xie Na and Chu Chung-Heng, pushing the boundaries of comedy. His latest work, Beckett in the Lai Family Mansion merges the absurdist master's legacy with Lai's personal heritage. In a special session, Lai will guide audiences through Irish writer Samuel Beckett's world, sharing insights into his creative process.

Alongside international productions, the festival will also spotlight local innovation. A key highlight is the debut of the Little Pegasus Project, an initiative inviting young Chinese theatre artists to create and perform time-limited, prop-constrained works based on themes assigned by Lai himself. The first edition will feature directors Liu Xiaoyi and Ding Yiteng, who will create performances themed on artificial intelligence in the historic garden theatre.

Huichang Theatre Village also extends its artistic vision through immersive experiences. The village salon serves as a creative hub where theatre masters and emerging artists interact. Script reading sessions break the conventional audience-performer barrier, while interactive workshops, from body movements to parent-child co-creations, enhance artistic perception.

Source: Xuhui district government