Dance theater "Pinocchio" stills. (File photo) Summer vacation has begun, and the demand for children’s dramas and parent-child performances has exploded. Various theaters in Shanghai are taking advantage of the situation to launch a number of works suitable for the whole family

Dance theater "Pinocchio" stills. (File photo)

The summer vacation has begun, and the demand for children’s dramas and parent-child performances has exploded. Various theaters in Shanghai are taking advantage of the situation to launch a number of works suitable for the whole family to watch. Not only are Shanghai-style classic puppet shows and Quanzhou string puppets having playful dialogues in the air, but there are also creations by famous overseas groups with rich imagination and new technology to interact with Chinese audiences. Meet. Tradition and multiculturalism are intertwined, allowing children to have a fulfilling and artistic holiday, lighting up the summer time with drama and music.

Traditional culture makes a vivid appearance

Stills of the Shanghai-style shadow puppet show "Nine-Colored Deer". (Photo provided by Shanghai Puppet Troupe)

html From July to August, Shanghai Puppet Troupe will continuously present interesting performances for children of all ages at the Xianles Puppet Theater. This weekend, the large-scale mythological puppet show "Huashan Prodigy" takes the lead. The play was first performed in 1997. It is based on the famous ancient Chinese myth "Split the Mountain to Save the Mother", with the main line of "Little Agarwood Split the Mountain to Save the Mother", using the performance form of stick puppets, combining traditional characters with contemporary vision, adding sound, light and electricity. technology. With its exquisite modeling and superb skills, the whole play complements the classic oriental aesthetics and traditional skills. It once won the highest honor of Russia's "Golden Clown" International Puppet Art Festival.

As one of the Shanghai Puppet Troupe’s house shows, the ever-lasting "The Monkey King Three Fights the Bone Demon", which has been around for more than 40 years, will be performed from July 13th to 14th. There are more than 20 characters in "The Monkey King Three Fights the Bone Demon". The clever and clever Sun Wukong, the naive Zhu Bajie, the cheeky Sha Monk, and the compassionate Tang Monk all became lifelike in the hands of the actors. Before "The Monkey King Three Fights the Bone Demon", stunt puppets were not used much in the repertoire. However, a large number of stunt puppet performances appeared in this play, which established the performance characteristics of Shanghai-style puppets. In addition to these two major dramas, "Mulan" and "Nine-Colored Deer" will also debut in succession in August.

At the same time as the Shanghai-style puppets made their debut, another children's performance landmark in Shanghai, the Roewe Shanghai Children's Art Theater, welcomed string puppets from Quanzhou. From July 20th to 21st, watch the intangible cultural heritage "Assemble!" In "Puppetry", Quanzhou Puppet Troupe, which has a history of more than 70 years, will present several classic plays for children such as "Monkey Taming", "Lion Dance" and "Little Novices Descending the Mountain". A puppet, a hook sign, dozens of hanging threads, and a pair of skillful hands will interpret an all-encompassing life story with just a lift and pull, which will attract children's attention.

Opera, one of the outstanding representatives of Chinese traditional culture, will also be brought to children in a lively way. Roewe·Shanghai Children's Art Theater's "Big Whale Summer Yue Opera Experience Camp" returns this summer. Under the guidance of professional actors from Shanghai Yue Theater, young audiences will practice basic skills and learn to perform the "sound calling card" of Yue Opera - "Butterfly Lovers·My Family" Selected excerpts from "A Little Sister Lin" and "Dream of Red Mansions: A Little Sister Lin Falls from the Sky" to systematically learn the body shape and singing voice of Yue Opera. With a table and two chairs, a small bridge and flowing water, and a curtain of pine and cypresses, the children's drama "The Secret of the Yuan Opera" performed at the Shanghai Poly Grand Theater on August 20th shared the story in a simple, easy and humorous way. Yuan opera knowledge and opera knowledge, the play tells the interesting story of two groups of classmates participating in a Yuan opera knowledge competition, interspersed with interpretations of traditional operas such as "The Injustice of Dou E" and "The Romance of the West Chamber".

A well-known fairy tale takes the stage

The two-month summer vacation provides children with sufficient time to experience the diverse charm of art. This summer, many overseas masterpieces tailored for children gather in the performing arts metropolis. Beautiful childhood memories are indispensable with colorful bubbles. The interactive parent-child drama "Dr. Bubble", which has received rave reviews at major theater festivals around the world, will "visit" the Yunjian Theater on July 21, creating a happy valley for children and bringing adults into their childhood dreams. How big is the biggest bubble you've ever seen? This wonderful bubble show will give you unexpected answers. Kurt Murray, who plays "Dr. Bubbles", has served as an actor, set designer, producer, teacher, and director. He has more than 20 years of theater performance experience and is good at combining rich bubble knowledge with performance skills."Dr. Bubble" has been performed for more than 3,000 times. It is a dramatic performance about bubbles and a warm exploration of children's empathy.

html From August 2nd to 3rd, the black light drama "The Tortoise and the Hare·Generation Alpha" produced and performed by the American Electric Live Theater Company will meet the Shanghai audience at the Yunjian Theater and the Roewe Shanghai Children's Art Theater. "The Tortoise and the Hare·Generation α" starts from the classic fable and extends the imagination to the descendants of the tortoise and the hare - ten years after the tortoise and the hare, the tortoise father and the hare father have their own children, and their lives are the same as humans. Being flooded with smartphones and online interactions, we have less and less experience in real life, and the relationship between parents and children is becoming increasingly unfamiliar. This time, Turtle and Beautiful Rabbit, the descendants of Tortoise and Hare, meet again for a competition. What story will happen? In the play, the actors comprehensively use cold light technology, puppet technology, ballet dance, laser, etc. to create a wonderful performance that combines sound, light, and electricity.

Another classic text that was born out of it is "Pinocchio". From August 14th to 15th, the dance theater "Pinocchio" by the British Jasmine Valdimon Theater Company will appear at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center, starting a journey of growth that touches the soul. The work is adapted from the well-known Collodi fairy tale and tells a series of adventures of "Pinocchio". Director and choreographer Jasmine Vadimone has been one of the leading figures in British dance theater for over 20 years, renowned for her challenging and visually stunning dance theatre. "I focused on how Pinocchio learned to recognize human feelings and emotions, both in himself and in others." "Pinocchio" showcases her unique approach to theatrical choreography and directing - combining physical theatre, character Shaping, innovative production and meticulous choreography combine while exploring the mysteries of human nature.

Author: Wang Xiaoli Xuan Jing

Text: Wang Xiaoli Xuan Jing Picture: Information Picture Editor: Fan Jing Editor: Xing Xiaofang

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