On November 25th, the Ninth Wuzhen Theatre Festival officially opened in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province. Students from the University of Science and Technology (USTC) and Anhui University were invited to perform their cooperative drama, What Is Acrylic.
Wuzhen Theater Festival is the most influential theater festival domestically, attracting theatre lovers from all over the world. One of its distinctive activities is the Old Town Carnival, during which performance groups take the natural scenery like wood cabin and stone bridge of ancient towns in Wuzhen as stage to put on shows, breaking the traditional boundary between the audience and the performers.
The poster of the Ninth Wuzhen Theatre Festival.
During the carnival, LI Borui, from School of Chemistry and Materials Science, LI Yanshu, from School of Humanities and Social Science, JIN Yinan, from School of Life Sciences and ZENG Yiming, from Department of Computer Science and Technology participated in the drama directed by CHEN Beilei, deputy director of the Department of Drama, Anhui University.
Prof. CHEN Beilei and student participant of the drama.
Using music and body movement as the way of expression, the work revealed the hidden rules of people’s behaviors in the modern society, which was symbolized by strips of cloth. Constrained by the cloth, namely, the rules, the unique qualities of different people gradually disappeared. However, as the newcomers stepped into the society, the rules were constantly challenged. While the newcomers strived to break and even change the rules, those who had already been restrained by the rules became bizarre and irrational, trying to assimilate the newcomers.
Students performing the drama What Is Acrylic.
Invited by USTC Arts Education Center, Prof. CHEN Beilei opened a general course called Drama and Performance Experience this semester. The four students performed in this drama all attended this course. Participating in a drama at a theatre festival for the first time, they were deeply impressed by this special experience.
The Arts Education Center plays an important role in strengthening the comprehensive education system of USTC. Since its official opening this semester, the Arts Education Center has held a series of art workshop on theatre, dancing and so on, all of which have gained great popularity among students. In the future, the Arts Education Center will continue to carry out various art activities and help create artistic atmosphere in USTC.
(Written by LI Peishan, edited by ZHANG Yihang, USTC News Center)
