Children's stories need not be silly and childish, said the great Danish storyteller Hans Christian Andersen. Children need and deserve to be taken seriously and treated as full human beings, so stories and plays for them should be entertaining, artistic and meaningful - as well as easy to understand.

Danish children's theater ensembles agree and take his advice to heart in their presentations of his stories and their own works Monday through Wednesday in the city. Shanghai is the second stop in their two-week China tour.

The program will include not only plays but also seminars, workshops and lectures on meaningful children's theater and how to fund it.

One of the programs is a dance-theater piece "Tolo on His Way" presented by the Danish National Ensemble for Children's Theater.

It is about Tolo's conflict between his pedestrian but secure everyday life and his dream about experiencing something new. A dancer, two musicians and a teddy bear are part of this drama that stresses the universality of freedom and security.

Another play, "The Fly," features two mimes in a poetic, comic performance to classical music. They are two lonely people searching for happiness - they finally find each other.

In Theater Batida's black-humored show "Grande Finale," nine very musical actors invite people to a wedding. It should have been a wonderful beginning of a new life together but turns into a sometimes heart-rending farce.

Organizers will host workshops for an artistic dialogue between Chinese and Danish practitioners in childrens' theater. Chinese student actors, dancers, musicians and stage directors will have improvised exercises with three Danish professionals in children's theater.

"Danish performing arts, particular children theater, have a world reputation for high artistry," says Marina Guo, general manager of Shanghai Sunspirit Development Co Ltd, an organizer of the festival.

1

2