On 16 August, China On Stage 2026 held a showcase at the Grassmarket Centre in Edinburgh, UK, bringing together creative talent from professional performing arts companies, leading drama institutions and emerging Chinese theatre-makers.
The event featured productions presented by the China Coal Mine Art Troupe, the Central Academy of Drama, and the Guilin Festival Young Chinese Theatre Directors Programme, highlighting the diversity and creative energy of contemporary Chinese performing arts.
The China Coal Mine Art Troupe introduced two newly created productions, Legacy and Old Drunken Dream, with playwright Wang Qianyu and Hao Shanshan, Head of the Creative Department and Deputy Director of the Drama Troupe, sharing insights into the works and their creative development.
The Central Academy of Drama presented Love in the Cracks, a production integrating theatre, art and technology. Associate Professor Ge Yuanliang from the Department of Directing introduced the production and presented excerpts live at the showcase.
Also featured was The Becoming Stone, a selected production from the Guilin Festival Young Chinese Theatre Directors Programme. Director Qi Huazheng of the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) shared the artistic concept behind the production, reflecting the innovative spirit of a new generation of Chinese theatre-makers.
Looking ahead, China On Stage will continue to strengthen connections between outstanding Chinese stage productions and international theatres, festivals, producers, agencies and professional arts platforms. The initiative aims to create more opportunities for Chinese productions to reach international audiences, develop long-term partnerships and establish sustainable pathways for global touring and collaboration.
