Each year the ancient water town of Wuzhen in the Chinese province of Zhejiang* fills with colour and cheer. The Wuzhen Theatre Festival, now an internationally acclaimed annual event, has opened up once again, compelling theatre enthusiasts from across the world to join in the festivities. The water town of Wuzhen China is truly the land of water towns! There are numerous famous pictures and paintings of beautiful canals, their banks full of traditional wooden boats gently floating past serene backdrops. Oaks and blossom trees adorn the waterfront sometimes shedding their pedals and leaves onto the calm waters. This image of “traditional China”, is not a thing of the past. The notoriously instagrammable water towns have now earned them the nickname “Venice of the East”.
In the case of Wuzhen, other than its beauty, romantic fairytale scenes and relaxing boat rides in settings right out of your imagination, there is more than meets the eye. This ancient water town hides a history much older than many of its counterparts and bears the title as of one of the oldest towns in China. Thanks to the continuous hard work of the community and their perpetual restoration efforts, the people here have helped maintain the town's traditional beauty and radiance to this day. But, Wuzhen has also been a cultural centre for thousands of years. It is no mystery that the Wuzhen Theatre Festival sprang from here. This corner of the world, hardly known outside of China, is also host to multiple events of great global and cultural significance, such as the World Internet Conference, the Wuzhen Contemporary Art Exhibition, the Wuzhen Long-Street banquet, the annual Lantern Festival and the Temple Fair. Each of these events is exceptional in its own right. This is the place where one can admire art, enjoy a meal while seated at a long table the length of the entire street or be enamored by the beautiful lanterns glowing on the water after sunset. The small water town also maintains traditions stemming as far back as the Song dynasty, such as romantic water weddings or martial art performances on moving boxing boats. (Yes, that boxing, the one that is done with your fists.)
This year’s Theatre Festival
This year, the Wuzhen Theatre Festival came back more flamboyantly than ever before. Within the embrace of the charming little town, the cultural extravaganza hosted a cascade of performers and their massive audience that dabbled in shows of all genres and for every taste.
The new 2023 theme: “Arise: Taking off, in flight, setting forth on new journeys” did not disappoint. Performances, plays, exhibitions, workshops and competitions invited fans and emerging artists to showcase their talents and partake in a festival that catered to the senses. From traditional Chinese opera to timeless European theatre this annual gathering provided once again a bridge not only across the world but also one that connects the past and the future of performance arts.
Timeless plays by Samuel Beckett and Henrik Ibsen as well as dramas inspired by ancient Greek myths, were central in remembering the world’s rich theatrical
heritage. But they were not alone. They were also accompanied by exciting new performances such as “H” 100 Seconds to Midnight inspired quite unexpectedly by Stephen Hawking and Etel Adnan. While other big theatre names were also present. The famous Japanese playwright Toshiki Okada made his appearance with The Window of Spaceship ‘In-Between’ keeping his audience at the edge of their seats in anticipation of his next choreographic masterpiece.
Equally important, were some of the more unique events that took place, and were focused towards the promotion of the arts. Such were, the Emerging Theatre Artist Competition, as well as the very distinct Wuzhen Dialogues. The dialogues take place once a year and offer fans the change to talk to their role models and get real insights into the world of stage art. It is a heart-felt gathering where old and young alike find a safe space filled with imagination and stories. It is held, as part of the festival, at the Traditional Storytelling Hall. Here everyone is welcome, and the entrance is ticket-free . You are greeted with a hot cup of tea and you are invited to stay for as long as you like, either contributing or just listening to the diverse and humble conversations that range from words of wisdom, know-how, thoughts or even just personal stories told for an interested audience to indulge in.
Finally, we must not fail to mention the big outdoor carnival that each year floods the streets. This is the time when the narrow walkways of Wuzhen burst with festive energy. From juggling to impromptu theatre and from warriors on stilts to crazy musicians, the carnival is most certainly at the very heart of the festival. Each year an open invitation beckons those who would like to let their creativity loose to share their arts and talents with fellow enthusiasts in this impressive celebration.
The carnival continues even after the sun has gone down, with stunning outfits and performers clad in fairy-lights making their appearance and keeping the good times going. It is an honest wish to keep the festival alive as long as possible and the hope to see it come to life time and time again, spreading the love of the arts and of theatre across the world.
A special thank you to all the online friends who made this article possible with their beautiful photo contributions.
Photo credit: - Cover photo: Woman with red dragon: Silviaghl - 小红书 - Photo of river boat: Wuzhen Official Website: http://en.wuzhen.com.cn
- Wuzhen Carnival teacup and clock: Silviaghl - 小红书
- Charlie Chaplin impersonator: Silviaghl - 小红书
- Masked woman in pink dress: Silviaghl - 小红书
- Float of man in green clothes: Silviaghl - 小红书
- Round man holding mushroom: 小猪凯蒂- 小红书
- Jellyfish women at night: Silviaghl - 小红书
- Octopus lady: 宋麦子- 小红书
- Happy accordion man: 焦糖玛奇朵_五分甜- 小红书
- Video of Wuzhen Street Carnival: 大烹- 小红书
*Zhejiang is a coastal province to the south of Shanghai. Because of the river system and the canals that form in Zhejiang as well as in its adjacent provinces, these have often been said to resemble Venice. Hence the name "Venice of the East".
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