More Shanghai stories…

Shanghai Theatre Academy is one of the two ‘national status’ drama training institutions in China. Surrounded by high rise buildings, the campus is well equipped with two stunning new theatre spaces and good sized rooms in the teaching block, which we used for the workshop. Over two days, we worked with 17 undergraduate and postgraduate writers and 15 ‘actors’ who actually had very little acting experience as they were from the Department of Dramatic Literature.  In the informal performance, we showcased 14 plays written on the theme of ‘everyday life in China’, either as fully rehearsed pieces or as rehearsed readings. Relationships underpinned many of the plays – between a girl trying to secure a residence permit and an official; between a husband in prison and his ill wife; between a mother and her daughter; between a man, his ex-wife (now a successful entrepreneur) and his current wife. Some of the plays dealt with difficult subjects – a man had to choose between saving the life of his wife or son, who were both in the operating theatre, and ended up losing both. Working with students with little acting knowledge threw up a few challenges, especially given the tight rehearsal schedule, but proved to be a rich and rewarding experience for all.