Taking 100 words to Beijing

We’re off to Beijing on Saturday – a very short and focused trip, as we’ll only be there for three nights.  We’ve done it before and know that a great deal can be packed in.

Strangely for China, we’ve already set up a lot of meetings in advance – often it’s a question of taking lots of phone numbers and making calls as soon as we’ve checked into the hotel.  I’m taking that as a good sign that our Chinese partners and colleagues are serious about wanting to work with us.

Almost as soon as we’re off the plane we’re into our first meeting, with Cheung Fai from Lin Zhaohua Theatre Studio.  This is one of China’s most innovative and forward-thinking theatre organisations, founded by renowned theatre director Lin Zhaohua.  It has already confirmed that it would like to be our Chinese theatre partner so our meeting will really be about drawing up detailed plans for the shape of 100 Words in China over the next 18 months.

In the evening, we’re hoping to meet up with some of our UK and European colleagues who are all in Beijing for the IETM China Europe Performing Arts Satellite Meeting. It’s the first time that IETM has ventured to China and judging by the amount of buzz about the event, there’ll be a lot of people there.

Meanwhile, there’s the usual indecision about what to pack, what will the weather be like (sunny or smoggy?)…I can’t wait to be back there again – and will try to write something while we’re away.