Wuzhen theater festival opens with global lineup

The 12th Wuzhen Theater Festival lifted its curtain on October 16 in the picturesque water town of Wuzhen, Zhejiang Province, drawing hundreds of thousands of theater lovers for an 11-day celebration running through October 26.

Under the theme of "fu yao," literally meaning "swirling up" or "rising with vitality," this year's edition features a vibrant lineup of performances and activities: 25 specially invited plays from 10 countries and regions and 18 entries in the Emerging Theater Artists' Competition, along with dialogues, workshops, reading sessions and outdoor carnivals.

Among the highlights is Anthropolis–Marathon, a production by Germany's Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg that interlaces five Greek myths. The play has sparked wide interest, deepening cultural dialogue between Eastern and Western theater traditions.

Since its debut in 2013, the Wuzhen Theater Festival has grown into a dynamic platform for young international theater practitioners to showcase their creativity and exchange ideas – turning the ancient town into a stage where the world's stories converge.