Before the lights dim, the audience must make a choice: walk through a narrow archway into a shadowy Verona and take a seat on either the Montague or Capulet side. Within moments, spectators are no longer watching Shakespeare's tragedy from a distance — they have become part of the feud.
Beijing People's Art Theatre's immersive new production of Romeo and Juliet transforms the familiar tale of forbidden love into a conflict that unfolds around — and among — the audience.
Directed by Wei Jiacheng, the production features six young actors. It premiered on July 11 and runs at the Beijing International Theatre Center's small theater through July 27.
At the heart of the production is a simple but powerful idea: turning division into a physical experience. A narrow channel slices through the stage, separating the two rival families, while audience members sit behind each chosen faction. The result is a theater space that feels less like a place to watch a tragedy and more like a city trapped inside one.
For Feng Yuanzheng, artistic director of the production, veteran actor, and president of Beijing People's Art Theatre, the adaptation is an attempt to bring Shakespeare into dialogue with today's audiences.
"The audience has changed, and small theater spaces have become increasingly attractive to younger viewers," Feng says. "We hope the work, the performers and the audience can meet emotionally in the theater and create a new artistic spark for this generation."
The creative team preserves the poetic beauty of Zhu Shenghao's renowned Chinese translation, including the balcony scene and the lovers' final farewell, while introducing more contemporary dialogue into the connecting scenes.
"When poetry appears, it should reveal its full romantic beauty; when reality arrives, it should still feel brutally real," Wei says. "Through this contrast, we hope audiences experience both the tenderness of love and the force that allows it to survive."
During the Capulets' masquerade ball, audience members become guests at the celebration, while actors interact directly with them, turning the scene into an unpredictable theatrical game. The production also employs parallel storytelling, allowing both families' lines to unfold simultaneously.
"The unseen and unheard parts of the story reflect the uncertainty and mystery of falling in love," Wei says.
The six actors collectively portray 10 roles, moving between both sides of Verona's conflict. The approach allows them to inhabit not only individual characters but also the emotional realities of each family.
Actor Fang Yangfei sees Romeo not simply as a reckless young lover, but as someone defined by courage.
"Romeo represents different ways people approach love," Fang says. "He dares to be himself, dares to love and dares to accept love."
Wu Yuchenning's Juliet is similarly reimagined as a young woman with agency and conviction.
"There came a point when I no longer felt I was performing the character," Wu says. "I felt I had entered Juliet's soul."
For Wu, Juliet's declaration that she would give up her family name for love reveals the character's awakening — a moment when she begins choosing her own destiny.
The production's most striking feature may be its set design. Four high walls enclose the stage, creating an oppressive Verona that feels both immediate and contemporary.
Against the dark setting, a single cluster of red roses grows beside a drain — the only splash of color on stage and a poignant symbol of hope blooming in darkness.
Developed over more than a year, the production marks an important milestone for Wei, who has spent years exploring Shakespeare's works as both an actor and collaborator.
Since its premiere, the production has drawn strong reactions from audiences and theater professionals. Feng believes its youthful energy is exactly what gives it such resonance.
"The atmosphere of this play fits very well with the aesthetic tastes of young audiences today," Feng says. "The actors' freedom, confidence and passion on stage make me incredibly proud."
chennan@chinadaily.com.cn
