Utopia for Theater: Festival turns Wuzhen into stage

World
Europe

02:07

The Wuzhen Theater Festival came to an end over the weekend. Under the theme of "Magnanimity", the sixth edition saw artists and performers from around the globe OPENING themselves up to CREATE a world equally embraced by its visitors.

Every year, artists from around the world bring their fanciest shows to Wuzhen, injecting vitality into the water town.

Co-founded by several Chinese actors and directors, this festival has become a cultural symbol of the 1,300-year-old town.

HUANG LEI ACTOR/CO-FOUNDER, WUZHEN THEATER FESTIVAL "The whole event is like a play and the performers and the audience are all part of it. During the past ten days, we all get to realize our dream for theater."

NAPO MASHEANE SOUTH AFRICAN DIRECTOR & WRITER "One of the things I think future of theater should include is more voices of women and also collaboration, creating together, sharing each other's struggles, joys, pains, even fun, comedy or anything of that sort. Through that we'll find we are not that different we are same people."

During the festival, it's like the town has transformed into a huge stage. Shows are staged both in and out of theaters. And here everyone is an artist because they are immersed in plays and can easily be part of a play on the street.

Here the atmosphere is better. Because theater lovers from all over the country have gathered here.

"We often say that life needs a sense of ritual. Going to live performances just gives you that feel. Wuzhen is the perfect place to dream."

SHEN LI WUZHEN, ZHEJIANG PROVINCE "The Wuzhen Theater Festival has really turned into an influential event with hundreds of performances held both in theaters and on the streets. And some people even say they know about the town because of the festival.

SHEN LI, CGTN, Wuzhen, Zhejiang Province.