This is not the first time Zhong Shao has posted related Weibo messages on "World AIDS Day". What sets this apart is that Zhong Shao openly interacted with WAT for the first time.
He did so both as Simeon and as himself.
Since "World Toilet Day," it has been the 15th day of Zhong Shao and Yu Cheng's long-distance relationship. At the same time, tickets for the drama festival-related performances officially went on sale at 9 a.m.
In another 15 days, the Langting International Theatre Festival will begin.
During this half-month, Zhong Shao spent most of his time working in City B. During his free time, he either chatted with Yu Cheng or they had video calls.
On the day before the Langting International Theatre Festival opened, all the judges arrived in Langting Town. Located to the west of City A, Langting Town is not only one of the six ancient towns in Jiangnan but also a national 5A-level tourist attraction. Known as the land of plenty, with its water-side homes, over two thousand years of history have enriched its cultural heritage, memories, and legacy passed down through generations in the Wu dialect.
As night falls, only the stars blink above as the town's flowing water accompanies the chirping of winter insects. The rough sound of wheels sliding across the stone bridge echoes. In front of a standalone villa with a distinctive Jiangnan style, a man pushing a suitcase stops in his tracks.
As his hand touches the railing gate, a man emerges from the foyer ten meters away. Yu Cheng makes no further move, while Zhong Shao takes a few steps down the steps and lightly embraces Yu Cheng through the railing.
Taking Yu Cheng's suitcase in hand and holding the other, Zhong Shao rolls the wheels over the cobblestones, saying, "The sound of the pulley tonight sounds especially pleasant." The soundproofing of the houses in town is not very effective, allowing the sound of the pulleys on the stone road to be heard in the still night.
Before the sound of the pulleys reaches them, Zhong Shao already sees a figure under the streetlight at the intersection from the French window of the villa.
The moment Yu Cheng steps into the light of the streetlamp, Zhong Shao keenly feels the overwhelming love and longing flooding in, wondering what it all means.
That night, there was no joy of fish and water or walking on the edge, only gentle intertwining of lips and tongues, and embracing sleeping positions.
The 16th Langting International Theatre Festival commenced at 10 a.m. with the theme "Li（豊）" which is represented by the pictographic character symbolizing "politeness（礼）" and "abundance（丰）."
"豊" signifies walking, thus bringing blessings from the gods; it also represents an object.
"礼" denotes respect while "丰" signifies prosperity.
The festival welcomes guests from all corners of the globe with a rich blend of Eastern and Western cultures, using jade as a symbol and cherishing the beauty of theatre. This cultural essence sets the tone for the festival.
Featuring performances from five global theatres, the festival pays tribute to classics with innovative interpretations. Over ten days, the festival will showcase 49 productions from 27 countries and regions, including 329 specially invited performances, 25 forums, 32 readings, a theatre-themed exhibition, and over 1500 carnival shows. Breaking down boundaries, the festival sparks an aesthetic storm of contemporary and classical collisions, expanding the ethical dimensions of theatre along the waterfront and igniting a cultural ecosystem of theatre education and celebration in the diverse streets.
A highlight of the festival, the "Young Performers Competition" will present theatrical works throughout the festival.
On the third day, the competition will enter its final round with an improvisational creation challenge. Competing groups will be provided with three creative elements on-site, given 40 minutes for preparation, and must incorporate these elements into their 30-minute performance. Simple tables and chairs provided by the organisers can be used, but no additional large props are permitted.
Yu Cheng put himself in the crowd, shuttling through the lanes by the shore, brushing shoulders with street performers and magicians, exchanging handshakes with actors, pausing in front of impromptu performances, immersing himself in dance dramas, unexpectedly encountering all the beauty related to theatre. He seemed to wander aimlessly in the corridor, but between the turns, he arrived at the Experimental Theater.
With ten minutes to spare, the first experimental drama of the theatre festival was about to begin.
Yu Cheng adjusted his hat brim, checked his ticket, and took his seat in the audience. The venue was quiet, the drama was about to unfold, and Yu Cheng sitting in his seat suddenly remembered his appearance years ago when he participated in the theatre festival.
That was his second year at the acting academy when the work he co-created with other members of the Experimental Drama Society made it to the "Youth Performance" category. They were the youngest group at the time and the only experimental drama among the nominees. They didn't win any awards in the end, but they were content to compete on stage with more mature actors. It was also at that moment that Yu Cheng became Prof. Wang Shuo's apprentice.
Prof. Wang Shuo asked Yu Cheng later why he had chosen experimental drama back then. His answer was: that experimentation is about exploration, homage, and heritage.
As the curtain rose, Yu Cheng snapped out of his thoughts and entered the cross-era vocabulary and aesthetic performance of the experimental drama "Dialogue."
In comparison to Yu Cheng's relaxation and immersion, Zhong Shao was much busier.
The first dialogue forum of this theatre festival, "What is theatre?" had Zhong Shao as a guest.
As a screen actor, it was a topic he couldn't quite relate to, yet Zhong Shao surprisingly provided his answer from a different perspective.
Zhong Shao said: "As a film and television actor, I greatly admire stage actors. The distinction between a continuous shot in theatre acting and one in film acting, in terms of duration and lack of post-production, is well-known. Based on my observation, to achieve these aspects, actors not only need a solid foundation but also require a powerful 'physical energy' and a profound 'letting go philosophy.' Physical energy refers not to the physical endurance of a theatre actor but to the actor's excavation of their own potential, from Pina Bausch's "dance theatre" to Jacques Lecoq's international theatre school, from Japanese Noh theatre to our own traditional Chinese opera, the art of physical expression by actors is omnipresent. The necessity for its strength lies in the fact that the stage, as a medium and creative space for theatre, expands its infinite possibilities from the physical artistry of stage actors, allowing theatre artists to contemplate the potential and importance of body performance art in contemporary theatre."
"Moving on to the concept of "letting go philosophy," it is a simple yet challenging idea. Only by letting go can one truly see; only by letting go of oneself can one penetrate directly into things, seeing their essence. The Jewish writer Singer once said: "Every creator is painfully trying to bridge a vast chasm between his inner vision and expression." In theatrical creation, a theatre actor's reverence for the stage reflects their sincerity in relinquishing all desires for control and dominance over the script's characters, abandoning subjective judgments, biases, and attachments to events, allowing the story and the actors themselves to be seen from the beginning, revealing the relationship between the actor, the character, and the script.
"Therefore, theatre practitioners are not just presenting stories on stage but are also transmitting their creative ideas and experiences to society through 'physical energy,' transforming the rituals of theatre into profound insights into the human heart and nature. As a theatre audience, if I can perceive these elements from a play, then that is the very essence of the significance of theatre itself."
During the forum's Q&A session, Zhong Shao calmly addressed questions from theatre enthusiasts and critics, ranging from sharp to probing. These inquiries included why he, as a film and television actor, served as a judge for a theatre festival, whether he had considered trying dramatic performances, and his perspective on the social responsibility carried by theatrical culture.
Notably, amidst the questions raised about the festival, one particularly intriguing query emerged: whether there were plans to adapt the stories of WAT and its rescue missions into theatrical productions.
Of all the questions Zhong Shao responded to, this one stood out as closely related to theatre, prompting him to emphasise, "Regardless of the stage, performing arts demand respect and wholehearted dedication. Adapting written works or film excerpts into stage plays has emerged as a new trend in recent years, serving as a complementary art form. Through the collision of inspiration and artistic expression from two distinct realities, each medium is pushed to its creative limits. However, matters concerning WAT do not fall within this realm."