ORGANIZED by China Merchants Culture Industry and Performing Arts Connection, the Shekou Theater Festival (STF) 2024 will take place in Shekou, Nanshan District, from Friday to Nov. 10. The festival will feature 10 original incubated plays performed in unconventional theatrical spaces such as a marketplace, the streets and serviced apartments.

Renowned for its original incubated performances, the STF introduces a section titled “Enhanced Versions” for previously incubated works for the “Theater in Situ” project in 2022 and 2023 after continual refinement and accumulation. This year, new locations such as a wholesale wet market, public buses and serviced apartments will serve as the new non-traditional theatrical spaces, promising a fresh experience for theater-goers.

This year’s STF will showcase 17 performances that explore a diverse array of themes and topics that range from AI to stray cats and urban memories, reflecting the creators’ insights and observations across four categories.

Among these, nine are new creations in the “Theater in Situ” project, developed over three months at the Incubation Camps and Writing Workshops in the summer guided by experienced mentors. These works were selected from numerous scripts and play proposals submitted for the “Theater in Situ” project in mid-April, incorporating multiple languages and theatrical elements alongside storytelling.

One exciting new creation, “Ticket, Please,” by Roland Wu and NumbHouse, will be performed experimentally on a public bus from Friday to Sunday, inviting audience members to engage in the exploration of commercials and advertisements displayed along the bus route.

Other non-conventional theatrical spaces will host this year’s “Theater in Situ” performances, such as the bustling Nanyou Seafood Wholesale Market, where “I Remember” created by Connie from Macao is expected to lead audiences in a reflection on the kaleidoscopic life captured within the market.

In addition, two plays incubated from previous editions of the STF, including “Dream Cycle” by Shenghai Theater Laboratorium, will also return to Shekou to greet theater enthusiasts.

Four new scripts — “Uncategorisable,” “The Thread,” “Crow,” and “Go Together” — will be featured in readings by performers from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in the “New Writing Stage Reading” category, offering an immersive engagement with the art of theater.

The festival will also host the 2024 STF International Forum on Nov. 2 and 3 at the Sea World Culture and Arts Center, inviting domestic and international industry experts and observers to discuss the present and future of immersive performing arts.

(Wei Jie)

2024 STF Theater-in-Situ

“Ticket, Please” created by Roland & NumbHouse at Airongyuan bus station on Oct. 25-27

“I Remember” created by Connie at Nanyou Seafood Wholesale Market on Oct. 26-27

“The Little Toe V3.0” by The Physical Guerrillas at I-Factory on Oct. 25-27

“Seahigh” by Plain Studio at I-Factory on Oct. 25-27

“Tales of Consumed Dreams” by Liu He at Sea World on Oct. 25-26, Nov. 1-2 and Nov. 8-9

“Public Assemble” by Modular Theater at the Grand Machine Hall I-Factory on Nov. 3

“My Dad Is Dead” by Open Door Theater at the Pyramid Square on Nov. 1-3

“Dream Cycle” by Shengbai Theater Laboratorium at 5F Time Tower on Oct. 31- Nov. 3

“Dreamless Machine, Useless Class” by Po Art Studio at Gateway 2 Sea World on Nov. 8-10

Special Stage

“Diary VII, The Story of ...” by Mui Cheuk Yin at The Grand Machine Hall, I-Factory on Nov. 8-10

“Good Girl” by AWPLANET at Qianhai Mawan City Exhibition Hall on Nov. 8-10

“A Mind Apart” by Kiwi Chan x Dabinlo Lab at Apartment One, Binglang Yuan on Oct. 30 - Nov. 3

“Congregation” at Sea World on Nov. 6-10

New Writing Staged Reading

“Uncategorizable” script by Tam Yuen Ye, directed by Zhang Becca on Nov. 8-10

“The Thread” script by Hau Yik Lam, directed by Michael Ip on Nov. 8-10

“Crow” script by Wang Xiyue, directed by Xu Yingbang on Nov. 8-10

“Go Together” script by Sun Huixin, directed by Zhong Xianglin on Nov. 8-10