Beyond Dorian Gray: A New Portrait of Beauty

Robert Wilson and Düsseldorf Theater's "Dorian" has just wrapped up its run at Theater YOUNG. Now, another stage production inspired by Oscar Wilde's iconic character is set to meet Shanghai audiences.

Part of the ongoing China Shanghai International Arts Festival, "Creation (Pictures for Dorian)" by German avant-garde theater company Gob Squad takes a different approach.

Rather than retelling the story of Dorian Gray, it asks a more personal question: If each of us had a portrait of our own, who would get to decide whether it is beautiful? Are we truly searching for beauty, or simply hoping to be seen, recognized and accepted?

What makes this performance special is the invitation extended to local people to participate and co-create. The core of the piece does not depend on the ornate and meticulously crafted lines of the original novel; instead, it centers on the performers' real-life experiences, self-doubt, bodily memories, and crises related to aging.

The Shanghai performance includes a diverse group of participants: an actress from the Shanghai Film Studio Troupe, a stage manager at the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center, a senior dance enthusiast, a young performer from the Shanghai Yue Opera House, a social media blogger, and a student at the Shanghai Theater Academy.

These participants will not "play Dorian," but in a sense will "become Dorian." They bring their private experiences of beauty and aging onto the stage, prompting audiences to rethink contemporary social media's obsession with "being seen."

The performance is in both Chinese and English, with subtitles in both languages.

If you go

Date: October 30-31, 7:30pm, November 1, 2pm

Ticket: 180-580 yuan

Venue: Theater YOUNG

Address: 1155 Kongjiang Rd, Yangpu District 杨浦区控江路1155号