“Fall and Flow,” “Flowers in the Mirror,” and “The Fantastic Discovery of the Classified Materia Medica” will be presented at the 57th edition of the Off Avignon Festival

The 2023 Avignon Off Festival will run from July 7 to July 30, 2023. This year, Théâtre de la Feuille will unveil its new physical-theater creation in Europe, and QFun Theatre will return with two new productions performed by Chinese children. Fall and Flow This year, the director of Théâtre de la Feuille, Ata WONG Chun Tat, is collaborating with an award-winning cinematic action choreographer to lead the creative team on a brand-new production: a nonverbal “Wuxia” comedy (the traditional martial-arts and chivalry genre). Drawing on the distinctive elements of Hong Kong action films—such as Kung Fu, the rivalry between light and darkness, loyalty, and brotherhood—the company pays tribute to classic Wuxia and Kung Fu films and resumes its international tour after the pandemic with outstanding creations. A mute Kung Fu hero has lived in solitude for many years, until the day he happens to lend a hand to a young stranger in need—little does he know that this small act of kindness will set off a series of deadly consequences. As his peaceful life is upended, his secret past begins to come to light, and we learn that there is more to imagine about his true identity… Théâtre Golovine 12:15 PM July 7–27, 2023 No performances on Mondays Running time: 1h Ages 14 and up Flowers in the Mirror Flowers in the Mirror is a free adaptation of one of the greatest Chinese fantasy novels, written by Li Ruzhen in the early 19th century. This production offers audiences an imaginary journey through the unexpected search for twelve flowers found in different worlds populated by characters with strange customs: the land of black teeth, the land of the small, the land of double faces, the land of pig-snouted people… For this creation, the staging focused on puppetry and mask work, underscoring the play’s poetic and satirical character. The different worlds come alive in space as a succession of living tableaux, illuminated by the watchful eye of TANG Xiaoshan. Flowers in the Mirror is a Franco-Chinese artistic cooperation project initiated by Compagnie QFun Theatre and Hybridités France-Chine. It is not only a cross-cultural project but also one that brings the world of adults into dialogue with the world of children. French artists work with young Chinese performers to stage a 19th-century novel while keeping a contemporary perspective. La Chapelle des Italiens July 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 2023 For all audiences Running time: 55 minutes The Fantastic Discovery of the Classified Materia Medica This science-fiction musical is inspired by the most comprehensive medical work in the history of Chinese medicine, the Classified Materia Medica, compiled by LI Shizhen during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644). It tells a science-fiction story set in the future. In 2046, to cope with the uncertainty of a crisis, a simulation game was invented that uses VR (virtual reality) equipment to simulate the crisis and let people practice facing it. In this case, the game takes place against the backdrop of a global “emotional disease” epidemic, and the players are plunged into the era of LI Shizhen. They witness the birth of the Classified Materia Medica, and thus an adventure full of surprises and unexpected encounters begins…… La Chapelle des Italiens July 20–23, 2023 For all audiences Running time: 1h