STORY: Chinese theater troupe breathes new life into French classics, says French theater veteran
SHOOTING TIME: Dec. 21, 2024
DATELINE: Dec. 25, 2024
LENGTH: 0:02:39
LOCATION: AVIGNON, France
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the performance
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (French): CHRISTIAN LUCIANI, French theater actor
3. various of the performance
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (French): CHRISTIAN LUCIANI, French theater actor
5. various of the performance
6. SOUNDBITE 3 (French): CHRISTIAN LUCIANI, French theater actor

STORYLINE:

A recent cultural event brought centuries-old Chinese theatrical traditions to southern France, blending ancient Chinese storytelling with French literature.

The Chinese Tour in the Most Beautiful Villages of France ran from Dec. 17 to 21.

Christian Luciani, an 83-year-old French theater veteran, was deeply impressed. He believed that the Chinese adaptation of French classics helped the French rediscover their own culture.

SOUNDBITE 1 (French): CHRISTIAN LUCIANI, French theater actor
"Bringing French texts to life through Chinese theater is a remarkable achievement.
I believe you've helped the French rediscover their own culture through Chinese theater.
Glove puppet theater is a Chinese art form, but it conveys the essence of the text so vividly.
The performances by the Chinese actors are expressive enough to tell the entire story.
They've embraced a culture that isn't their own and elevated it with their unique perspective."

With his extensive theater experience, Luciani admired the integration of physical expression in Chinese theater, which he found inspiring.

SOUNDBITE 2 (French): CHRISTIAN LUCIANI, French theater actor
"We're too focused on the text and not open enough to physical expression in its many forms - circus, song, and so on.
Chinese theater integrates all those in its performance, and that's what I find lacking in European culture.
I was captivated by the technique that transcended the text through physical expression. It made me realize we need to go beyond our own boundaries and embrace a more open approach to theater."

Luciani praised the tour for bringing art to a wider audience.

He also expressed his wish for more cultural exchanges between China and France.

SOUNDBITE 3 (French): CHRISTIAN LUCIANI, French theater actor
"It's a significant achievement to bring these performances to villages, reaching deep into the heart of French culture and awakening people's interest. If we stick to major theaters, we confine culture to a niche audience."
I'd love to learn more about Chinese theater and its texts to explore how we, as French artists, could adapt and interpret them.
Exchanges will enrich us on both sides. On the one hand with French culture, and on our side with Chinese culture, it will enrich us and our theater system, then the art will inevitably evolve in the right direction."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Avignon, France.
(XHTV)