The performance home of the august Beijing
People’s Art Theatre, where director Lin Zhaohua got his start, this is the
serious theatre for serious theatregoers. You might see some TNT Shakespeare, Ibsen-related
dance, or NT Live screenings, but for the most part this is Chinese classic and
contemporary theatre such as Lao She’s Teahouse,
or anything by Lin. The audience, as you
might expect, is excellent, mostly silent throughout – it’s many foreign
actors’ favourite venue – and the theatre has a lot to recommend it. At the
northern end of Wangfujing Street, there’s plenty to do before or after the
show, and mercifully it’s not in the taxi no-go zone. The theatre is small but
feels large; every seat is a good one, there are no bag or coat restrictions,
and the bathrooms are in easy racing distance. The programming is more
specialised than most, but the shows are quality.
