The power of one

The 2nd International Monodrama Festival showcases powerful solo performances from around the world, highlighting the emotional depth and cultural exchange fostered through monodrama.

Three women from ancient and modern Greece embark on a "journey "together on a train: Medea, the tragic figure from ancient Greek drama, Maria Callas, the internationally renowned opera diva, and Melina Mercouri, the beloved Greek actress, singer, and politician. Despite their different life paths, they are united by a common trait: passion — for life, for love, for creativity, and for freedom.

This is the story told in the Greek play Women of Passion, Women of Greece. What makes it particularly unique is that all three women are portrayed by a single actress.

Through changing headdresses and modifying her voice and body language, the actress vividly brings each character's distinct traits to life. In other words, it is a one-person show, or monodrama.

From Sept 5 to Oct 13, the 2nd International Monodrama Festival is held in Beijing. Organized by the Drumtower West Theater, this year's event features 13 shows from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Denmark, Greece, and other countries and regions, as well as nine original short plays by young theater practitioners for competition.

The festival also includes workshops, expert conversations, immersive shows, and an award ceremony, making it a grand event for enjoying, promoting, and exploring this unique art form.

Li Yangduo, founder of the festival and the Drumtower West Theater, believes in the profound artistic potential of monodrama. "A monodrama can express an entire world through the power of just one person," she said.

However, she pointed out that this art form does not receive the attention and investment it deserves, as many great playwrights today tend to focus on larger productions.

"When I travel abroad, I ask local theater professionals about the state of monodramas in their countries. The common response is that monodramas exist, but they are not prevalent," she said. "In the face of so many grand productions, I wonder why we don't create something small and beautiful. Monodrama is such a vibrant art form, and I believe it deserves more of my energy."

Interconnected stories

Tatiana Ligari, director of Women of Passion, Women of Greece, believes that monodrama's unique charm lies in its ability to reach "something deeper in our emotion".

This is why she thinks that the best part of this festival is its ability to allow audiences to directly experience different countries and civilizations.

"In many performances, we see good singing, good dancing, but what happens with the culture, the mind, and the soul in these countries? If we have an international monodrama festival, people can liberally discover the spirit of other countries," she said. "I believe very much in the power of women. So, I tried to find Greek women famous in the world and speak through them."

One of the goals of this year's festival is to allow Chinese audiences to hear the voices of creators from across the world and to facilitate exchanges and learning between Chinese theater practitioners and their global counterparts.

"Especially for young creators, it's essential not to work in isolation. They should go out more, watch more plays, and read more books. Many of the esteemed directors, like Lin Zhaohua and Stan Lai, spent significant time abroad watching numerous foreign productions before developing their unique worldviews and styles," Li stated, expressing her hopes for the youth and her desire to support them.

The competition segment of the festival offers a valuable opportunity for young dramatists early in their careers. According to Li, two to three works will be selected and promoted, giving the creators the chance to participate in commercial performances. This exposure helps the plays attract more invitations for future shows.

"The life of any play should not be confined to a single festival; it needs to be seen by more people to gain stronger vitality," she explained.

For example, last year's first-prize winner, the puppet monodrama Riding Alone, has seen significant development after continuous incubation. The play has been performed at the Edinburgh International Festival, the Daliangshan International Theater Festival, and in cities like Beijing and Shanghai.

One of the nine works in this year's competition is Seabird, directed and performed by Zhang Le, a 24-year-old from Hohhot in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

About a year ago, Zhang had just graduated with a degree in performing arts and was making a living by directing tourism shows. At the time, he felt somewhat dissatisfied with himself and still hoped to pursue independent creative endeavors in theater.

While rereading Russian writer Anton Chekhov's The Seagull, Zhang was struck by the similarities between the young playwright Treplev and himself: "We are both poor, troubled, yet persistent," he said. This inspired him to create his monodrama Seabird, in which he depicts the painful struggle young people face between reality and their ideals.

To date, Zhang has independently created six plays — all with small casts — including two two-person shows and four monodramas.

"Monodramas are almost cost-free. Nowadays, producing a play has become increasingly extravagant, often going to great lengths for so-called high-tech effects, which I find unnecessary," he said. "I strive to ensure the audience doesn't leave the theater emotionally untouched, especially with a monodrama. If it fails to evoke empathy, I consider the play a failure."

Reflecting on his monodramas, Zhang found that they all possess a strong philosophical core, shaped by his view of the world and concern for social issues. In addition to exploring young people's uncertainty about the future, his works address topics such as suicide, misogyny, and anti-war themes.

"Theater practitioners of our generation, myself included, live in an era of information overload. We witness countless events, and although we don't earn much, we feel a strong urge to tackle major issues and reflect on global challenges," he said.

Shu'er (pseudonym), one of the festival's organizers, echoed Zhang's sentiments. After reviewing all the competition entries from last year and this year, she observed that young dramatists today maintain a close focus on reality, often grappling with existential questions about the meaning of life. Romantic love, she noted, is clearly no longer a major concern for young people.

"I see a lot of passionate creative energy among young people, which is a positive sign," she said. "Some of their works are still rough and need further refinement, but it's crucial to regularly present their works to audiences and improve them based on feedback."

Li hopes that the festival and the Drumtower West Theater can serve as platforms to support and accompany young theatrical creators.

"Whether it's helping them reach world-class festivals or attracting the attention of more producers and offering business opportunities, I believe each of them has a unique brilliance that deserves to be seen by more people," she said.