The Shenzhen Huixin Yishe Children’s Theater brought their original children’s drama, “Let Me Think Again, Brother Monkey,” to the Edinburgh Art Festival on August 11, leaving the mayor of Edinburgh and the local audience stunned.

The mayor said he was deeply impressed by the profundity of Chinese culture after watching the show.

“Let Me Think Again, Brother Monkey,” a stage play for kids on crime education, has given 16 performances to Shenzhen audiences. Based on five real cases of juvenile crime, the play includes five acts, namely “Should an Innocent Bystander Make Compensation?,” “Is Marijuana Toxic?,” “Should Domestic Enemies Be Caught?,” “Should We Fight for a Friend?,” and “Is Drugging Catastrophic?”

The play discloses the social problems faced by teenagers in modern times by integrating traditional Chinese culture into stage art in plays featuring three main characters from the classic Chinese novel “Journey to the West.”

Pei Qing, head of the theater, said this was the first time that the play casted six children as its main characters, which was a breakthrough and an innovation. Pei added that their performances are nearly perfect thanks to the hard work of the actors and their teachers and parents.

This trip was the first time 9-year-old Yao Kaiyang, the youngest actress in the troupe, has gone abroad without her parents. The delegation leader said Yao often cried in Edinburgh.

However, after the success of the show, she became very happy and more confident.

Another 9-year-old, Zhang Hante, is a bit of a clown and popular among his older brothers and sisters. “I feel very proud that we can promote Chinese culture on a global stage,” he said.

“It was a pleasure that we were invited to the festival; we’re very proud of Chinese culture and the kids,” Pei said. “We will continue bringing more children’s plays with Chinese elements and entrusting children with the task of promoting Chinese culture to the outside world.”

The Edinburgh Art Festival is one of the biggest celebrations of arts in the world. As part of the festival, the Edinburgh International Festival, created in 1947, has presented breathtaking performances from some of the best musicians and artists that the world has to offer.

The festival this year kicked off on August 2 and will last until August 26. (Yang Mei)