Resort to host festival where the location will serve to enhance the stage drama.

A new wave denotes a different approach, and theaters the world over have been describing their performances in such terms almost since the first stage curtain was raised. But rarely was its usage more apt than in defining the Aranya Theater Festival. Hint: Its slogan is half water, half stage. It really is set to make waves, as it will be the first theater festival in China that takes place by the sea. It also refers to the concept that drama, like the sea, is unlimited.

The Aranya Community lies on the coast of Qinhuangdao in Hebei province. With its serene seascape and minimalistic architectural aesthetic, it is a popular destination for urbanites seeking a tranquil weekend getaway.

Themed as "somewhere and temptation", the first Aranya Theater Festival will take place from June 10 to 20, during which time 12 locations will be available for performances. The distinctive architecture of Aranya, such as the Solitary Library and the Dune Art Museum, has been adapted into theater venues.

Director Meng Jinghui, founder and artistic director of the festival, says that the organizing committee researched and discussed the program for about six months before settling on the 25 stage works by 25 different directors to be showcased during the festival. The performances will provide the audience with an amalgam of diverse styles and aesthetics.

"Here you can freely indulge in your wishes and fantasies, and enjoy a memorable journey with the artists and other audience members at this exceptionally beautiful seaside spot," Meng says.

Meng himself will present two of his own plays, Einstein's Dream and a new play, The Ballad of the Sad Cafe, adapted from the novella of the same name by American writer Carson McCullers.

The premiere performance of the festival will be A Madman's Diary, directed by Polish director Krystian Lupa and rendered onstage by well-known Chinese performers Wang Xuebing and Mei Ting.

With glowing red lines that outline the stage and holographic projection technology, Lupa offers his interpretation of the short story by Lu Xun, a leading figure in modern Chinese literature.

Actor and director Chen Minghao experiments with an unconventional location and time slot for his new play Romeo and Juliet by the Sea. The play will take place at the Seaside Theater and begins at 3 am. The night, the dawn and the sunrise will all play an important role as the play unfolds.

"The Seaside Theater is a stage that rises right beside the sea. The sea, the sky and the earth are all part of it. The sun, the moon and the stars will intertwine with the emotions of the characters. Each year the Seaside Theater will elicit great suspense as to the kind of performance it will present," Chen explains.

Apart from theater performances, visitors can book, for free, to attend 35 script reading sessions presented by nine directors, including Yang Ting, Meng and Chen.

At these sessions, the directors will give their own rendition of works by masters from around the world, such as French philosopher Albert Camus, English playwright Sarah Kane and Chinese poet Xi Chuan.

The sessions indicate a close connection with the environment where the script reading takes place, from the Aranya community hall that gives an unadulterated view of the sea, to the soccer field and the amusement arcade, where theatrical drama makes its unlikely appearance.

The festival will also include a project entitled 300 Migratory Birds, inviting 300 theater lovers and practitioners to stay in 300 tents that will be pitched on the beach of Aranya, and spend 300 hours together creating theater works.

Liu Chang, artistic planner for the festival and founder of the project, says that it does not set a bar for its applicants, and anyone who has created something or simply has a yearning to perform is invited to apply.

The outer wall of the Solitary Library will be used for screenings, and the visitors can sit on the beach and view classic films, recorded theater performances and live performance recordings of musicians and bands, such as Ryuichi Sakamoto and Pink Floyd.

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