'Seven' targets audience through performance

As part of the recently concluded 17th Beijing Fringe Festival, the play Seven took the stage at the Avant-garde Theatre in Beijing on Sunday and Monday.

Written by Tang Danian and directed by Nie Jingzhu, the production featured Wu Zhoukai, Leng Xinqing, Guo Shenyu, and Wang Lang in leading roles, with Yuan Yuan serving as project director.

Seven is adapted from Khyentse Norbu's film Looking for a Lady with Fangs and a Moustache and follows the protagonist through seven dreams in the final seven days of his life. The narrative shifts from a desperate outward search for answers to an eventual focus on inner reflection and reconciliation.

Breaking away from traditional stage formats, the theatrical version of Seven redefines the relationship between the audience and the performance, blending the boundary between dreams and reality. The main performance space is placed within the audience seating, effectively using the entire theater.

"The actors are both the observers and the observed, and so are the audience members. Each person sees a different version of themselves while also gaining new perspectives on life," Nie explained.