About us

 

Founded in 2008, Théâtre du Rêve Expérimental has become a leading force of Chinese experimental theatre. It is dedicated to refresh the stagnant theatre scene in Beijing. While the Chinese theatre has rapidly become shallow and conservative, the group of artists intends to develop experimental theatre in several different directions, such as political, physical, documentary, multi-media, and cross-cultural theatre.

 

Wang Chong is the founder and artistic director of Beijing-based performance group Théâtre du Rêve Expérimental. He is the most internationally commissioned Chinese theater director. Wang was born in Beijing in 1982. He received his bachelor degree in law from Peking University, and then master’s degree in theater from University of Hawaii. 

 

In 2008 Wang founded Théâtre du Rêve Expérimental. In 2012 he started the Chinese New Wave Theater Movement by presenting a series of new performances with innovative use of body, live video and sound. This ongoing movement gained critical and popular acclaims. In April 2020 Wang directed online performance Waiting for Godot. With four actors performing live from three cities including Wuhan, the epicenter of Covid-19 that was still in lockdown, the performance attracted a record-breaking 290,000 audience. UK-based magazine International Arts Manager notes “Taking a radical approach to both form and text, Théâtre du Rêve Expérimental has been changing the face of China’s theatrical landscape.”

 

Wang’s works have been performed in more than 20 countries. The festivals include: Festival/Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolitan Festival, Seoul Asian Theater Directors Festival, Singapore International Festival of Arts, Israel Festival, Melbourne Asia-Pacific Triennial of Performing Arts, Adelaide OzAsia Festival, Noorderzon Festival Groningen, Rotterdam Festival de Keuze, Helsingor Passage Festival, Oslo International Ibsen Festival, and Under the Radar Festival New York.

 

His productions include: The Warfare of Landmine 2.0, winning Festival/Tokyo Award; Lu Xun, noted by The Beijing News as The Best Chinese Performance of the Year; Teahouse 2.0, winning One Drama Award as The Best Little Theater Performance of the Year.

 

With his unique touch, Wang has also translated and directed Chinese premieres of Heiner Müller’s Hamletmachine, Peter Handke’s Self-accusation, Sarah Kane’s Crave, Nick Payne’s Constellations, Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues, and Woody Allen’s Central Park West.

 

Wang has been noted by The Beijing News as the New Artist of the Year. He has received Radcliffe Fellowship at Harvard University, Asian Cultural Council Fellowship in New York, and Han Suyin Award for Young Translators.

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