Award-winning Spanish puppet show to make Asian debut in Shanghai

​A scene from La Tormenta. [Photo/Theatre Young]

The acclaimed Spanish puppet company Zero en Conducta is bringing its award-winning production La Tormenta to Theatre Young in Shanghai this May. Marking its Asian premiere, this limited run is now open for ticket sales.

Zero en Conducta is widely regarded as one of the most poetic contemporary puppet theater companies in Europe. Through a distinctive fusion of movement, puppetry, and everyday objects, it transforms abstract emotions into vivid and tangible stagecraft. Its works have garnered 28 international awards and have toured more than 30 countries and regions worldwide.

La Tormenta received Best Puppet Show at the 2025 FETEN International Performing Arts Fair for Children, along with the Special Jury Prize for Puppetry at the Igualada Festival 2025 in Spain. This multi-award-winning production weaves together animation, cinematic language, hip-hop, street dance, and poetry. Staying true to the company's signature philosophy that "movement brings life", the performance imbues every puppet and prop with a striking sense of vitality.

What makes La Tormenta particularly resonant is its gentle message: tears are not a sign of weakness. Crying is an act of courage and self-acceptance. Children will find wonder and delight in its imaginative world, while adults may rediscover a part of themselves that has long suppressed tears, forgetting their own right to release them. Regardless of age, this is a performance that offers quiet healing.

​A scene from La Tormenta. [Photo/Theatre Young]

If you go

• When: May 30, 2 pm and 7:30 pm; May 31, 2 pm

• Where: Green Box at Theatre Young, 4th Floor, No 1155 Kongjiang Road, Yangpu district

• Duration: Approximately 55 minutes

• Language: Performed in Spanish with Chinese and English subtitles

• Recommended age: 8 years and above

• Ticket prices: 180 yuan ($26.15) to 230 yuan

• Ticket purchase: Available through the official ticketing mini program (search for "YOUNG剧场微票务" in WeChat)