The 2026 Modern Drama Valley opened on April 23 and runs through May 31. With three core sections, the festival features 21 productions with 84 performances, nearly 40 public shows, and a variety of events across shopping zones and neighborhoods in Jing'an district.

Global top‑tier lineup

Over 85 percent of the productions are making their China debut, with nearly half coming from international companies. Artists and groups from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Brazil, Finland, Belgium, Portugal, and Georgia will take the stage. The lineup includes musicals, physical theater, suspense plays, children's theater, documentary theater, magic shows, and eco‑theater, offering something for every taste.

Belgium's FC Bergman introduces The Sheep Song, a visually stunning piece of physical theater, to the Chinese mainland for the first time. Tiago Rodrigues, director of the Festival d'Avignon, teams up with Comedie de Geneve to present Dans la mesure de l'impossible (Beyond All Impossibilities). Berlin's Maxim Gorki Theater brings Unser Deutschlandmarchen (Our German Fairy Tale), which was selected as one of the 10 most notable productions at the 2025 Berlin Theatertreffen. Georgian director Levan Tsuladze reimagines Nikolai Gogol's short story The Nose, while Brazil's Armazem Companhia de Teatro presents its own take on Samuel Beckett's play Happy Days.

Major local productions

The opening show of the 2026 Modern Drama Valley is the final installment of the Blossoms Trilogy, which uses Shanghai dialect dialogue and the city's signature aesthetic to present an epic stage saga. A China‑France co‑production of Le Petit Prince and the original fantasy play The Code of the Dynasty II reinterprets literary classics and the famous painting from a contemporary angle. The Warmth of the Human World, winner of the Wenhua Award for Outstanding Stage Production, and an adaptation of the popular series My Own Swordsman, seamlessly blend artistic excellence with broad appeal.

Solo pieces such as Chlorine, Ms. Beauty, and What's in the Zoo focus on women's growth, intergenerational relationships, and the lives of specific communities, showcasing fresh voices from emerging local artists.

Innovative and diverse forms

Eco‑theater productions Wild Thing! and Zugunruhe look at wildlife and migration, turning environmental issues into philosophical questions. Black Magic & Iterations, a magic show that mixes technology with performance, creates an immersive, interactive experience. The Chinese version of An Interrogation, a hit at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, delivers high‑intensity suspense and surprising twists that keep audiences on edge.

For all ages

The intangible cultural heritage children's play Wow! Cloth Tiger and the heartwarming family drama Mom's Kitchen nurture young audiences through theater while preserving Chinese cultural traditions. Seagulls and the Cherry in Time engages in a cross‑time dialogue with Anton Chekhov, while The Last Self Tape explores the boundaries of theater through personal storytelling.

From children's theater to original works by young artists, the festival builds a complete theater ecosystem that welcomes all ages — nurturing creativity while pushing artistic boundaries.

Scan the QR codes below to view the full program and schedule on the Damai and Maoyan platforms.

Sources: WeChat account of Jing'an district administration of culture and tourism at "jaqwlj", Modern Drama Valley