Play gives paws for thought

The Cat God in the Forbidden City, an original children's play directed by Liu Xiaoyi, premiered at Tianqiao Performing Arts Centre in Beijing with 10 sold-out shows during the Dragon Boat Festival, from Thursday to Saturday.

From July 18 to Aug 27, the play will be staged at the venue with nearly 100 shows.

The immersive play portrays cats, who are special guards of the Forbidden City, also known as the Palace Museum in Beijing. Actors play roles of different cats, with interactive arrangements designed for children audience.

The director Liu, who has been involving in theatrical productions from dramas to musicals, was inspired by the children book with the same title by Feng Li, which not only tells a fantasy story about cats but also lets children understand the history of the Forbidden City.

The Cat God in the Forbidden City is one of the theatrical productions of the performing season from June to December at the Tianqiao Performing Arts Centre. Twenty theatrical productions, including dance dramas, traditional Chinese operas and concerts, will be held during the second half of this year.