Synopsis:
In Ming Dynasty, young nobleman Xu Cheng falls in love with palace maid Mo Chou, whose beauty and intellect captivate him. When Xu learns her father was executed by a corrupt minister and she was sold into servitude, he defies his grandmother's arranged marriage to Prime Minister's daughter Cai Yun. Their elopement fails, leading to Mo's public humiliation. Consumed by grief, Xu becomes critically ill. Cai bribes doctors to use Mo's eyes as a cure, forcing her to gouge them out selflessly. Escaping captivity, Mo drowned herself in despair, followed by Xu in suicide. Transformed into twin lotuses, they eternalize their tragic love in mortal bonds. The play critiques feudal oppression and celebrates selfless devotion.
About the Director:
Li Jun, a renowned female stage director and national first-class artist, also serves as the Vice Director of Nanjing Dramatic Theatre’s Arts Committee. Recognized as a top talent in Nanjing, she has earned multiple awards, including Best Director at the Purple Gold Cultural Festival and Shandong International Small Theater Festival. Her notable works include Youth Olympic Torch Bearer, Searching for Zhang Ailing, and Swinging Swing. A member of key arts associations, she blends traditional and modern storytelling into her award-winning productions.
Directors' Note:
Mo Chou Mo Chou reimagines a haunting love story from ancient Jinling (present-day Nanjing), where a common woman's defiance against fate becomes a timeless ode to devotion and sacrifice. While rooted in Chinese lore, its core themes—unyielding love that transcends social constraints, the quiet heroism of marginalized voices, and the cost of spiritual emancipation—resonate profoundly with modern dialogues on gender equity and existential autonomy.
This production pioneers a transcultural theatrical language. We harness Western physical theatre’s avant-garde vocabulary to illuminate Eastern classical aesthetics, weaving martial arts precision, operatic gestures, shadow puppetry’s mystique, and contemporary dance’s fluidity into a singular narrative tapestry.
Here, bodies are not mere performers but storytellers. By dismantling verbal boundaries, we invite global audiences to viscerally experience the paradoxes of love—its fragility and resilience, its capacity to both chain and liberate.
About the Group:
Founded in 1960, Nanjing Dramatic Theatre is a premier Jiangsu provincial theater troupe celebrated for its classical Chinese dramas. It has garnered national acclaim with award-winning productions such as "Yuhuatai", "Qinhuai Family", "The Great River Flows", and "Maple Grove". Notable achievements include multiple wins at the China Art Festival, Wenhua Awards, and the Five One Project Award. Plays like "Ordinary People" and "The Fall" have been recognized for excellence, while "Yuhuatai" received recent honors under the 14th Five One Project. The theater has engaged in international cultural exchanges in the U.S., Germany, Japan, and Russia.
Team Manager: Wang Li, China Theatre Association
Cast and Crew
On Stage
Off Stage:
Contact Details:
Mr. Yuan Yang
Mr. Wang Ling
Synopsis:
In Ming Dynasty, young nobleman Xu Cheng falls in love with palace maid Mo Chou, whose beauty and intellect captivate him. When Xu learns her father was executed by a corrupt minister and she was sold into servitude, he defies his grandmother's arranged marriage to Prime Minister's daughter Cai Yun. Their elopement fails, leading to Mo's public humiliation. Consumed by grief, Xu becomes critically ill. Cai bribes doctors to use Mo's eyes as a cure, forcing her to gouge them out selflessly. Escaping captivity, Mo drowned herself in despair, followed by Xu in suicide. Transformed into twin lotuses, they eternalize their tragic love in mortal bonds. The play critiques feudal oppression and celebrates selfless devotion.
About the Director:
Li Jun, a renowned female stage director and national first-class artist, also serves as the Vice Director of Nanjing Dramatic Theatre’s Arts Committee. Recognized as a top talent in Nanjing, she has earned multiple awards, including Best Director at the Purple Gold Cultural Festival and Shandong International Small Theater Festival. Her notable works include Youth Olympic Torch Bearer, Searching for Zhang Ailing, and Swinging Swing. A member of key arts associations, she blends traditional and modern storytelling into her award-winning productions.
Directors' Note:
Mo Chou Mo Chou reimagines a haunting love story from ancient Jinling (present-day Nanjing), where a common woman's defiance against fate becomes a timeless ode to devotion and sacrifice. While rooted in Chinese lore, its core themes—unyielding love that transcends social constraints, the quiet heroism of marginalized voices, and the cost of spiritual emancipation—resonate profoundly with modern dialogues on gender equity and existential autonomy.
This production pioneers a transcultural theatrical language. We harness Western physical theatre’s avant-garde vocabulary to illuminate Eastern classical aesthetics, weaving martial arts precision, operatic gestures, shadow puppetry’s mystique, and contemporary dance’s fluidity into a singular narrative tapestry.
Here, bodies are not mere performers but storytellers. By dismantling verbal boundaries, we invite global audiences to viscerally experience the paradoxes of love—its fragility and resilience, its capacity to both chain and liberate.
About the Group:
Founded in 1960, Nanjing Dramatic Theatre is a premier Jiangsu provincial theater troupe celebrated for its classical Chinese dramas. It has garnered national acclaim with award-winning productions such as "Yuhuatai", "Qinhuai Family", "The Great River Flows", and "Maple Grove". Notable achievements include multiple wins at the China Art Festival, Wenhua Awards, and the Five One Project Award. Plays like "Ordinary People" and "The Fall" have been recognized for excellence, while "Yuhuatai" received recent honors under the 14th Five One Project. The theater has engaged in international cultural exchanges in the U.S., Germany, Japan, and Russia.
Team Manager: Wang Li, China Theatre Association
Cast and Crew
On Stage
Off Stage:
Contact Details:
Mr. Yuan Yang
Mr. Wang Ling
Synopsis:
The play symbolically examines the infiltration of patriarchal ideologies into a once-matriarchal society, exposing how indigenous beauty and traditions have been erased and distorted over time. At its core, the story poses thought-provoking questions—what if a myth passed down through generations in a humble lower-class family became reality? What if a cherished dream, seen with open eyes, turned into a harrowing nightmare? The play’s characters navigate the unsettling space between these uncertainties.
Umlindo Kharāni Ra Lemlemmā is a theatrical exploration of indigenous identity, gender dynamics, and cultural transformation. It delves into how ancient traditions have been reshaped by time, questioning the forces that rewrite history and redefine societal norms. Through symbolic storytelling, the play challenges audiences to reflect on the gradual yet profound shifts in belief systems. The characters exist on the periphery of mythology and reality, embodying the tension between dreams and nightmares, history and distortion.
About the Director :
Pashupati Rai is a distinguished Nepali actress known for her roles in films such as Kabaddi (2014), Halkara (2022), and A Road to a Village (2023). Her talent and versatility have significantly contributed to the success of various films, establishing her as a notable figure in Nepali cinema. She began her theatre journey in 2004 at Gurukul and has directed plays like Hechhakupa, Dhochlecha, Clever Queen, and Aladdin. With over 40 plays to her credit, her notable performances include Baghabhairav, Master Builder, Oedipus, and Antigone. After nearly a decade, she returns to directing with Umlindo Kharāni Ra Lemlemmā.
Director's Note:
I’ve always belonged to the theatre, and now, as I return to directing, I am committed to remaining involved in one way or another. As if by serendipity, my directorial vision emerged after thoroughly going through the script. My heartfelt thanks to Milson Rai for writing such a beautiful play, and to Mandala Theatre Nepal for giving me this opportunity.
About the Group:
Mandala Theatre Nepal is a group of young, enthusiastic and dedicated artists and theatre workers. The group was formed by young theatre enthusiasts after long practice and individual involvement in the field of theatrical performance. Mandala has produced around a 5-dozen theatre plays until now and staged in different parts of Nepal and abroad. It has produced a number of proscenium plays, forum plays, street plays, community-based workshops and events like workshops, mobile theatre tours, international theatre festivals etc. The theatre company is equally working on various socio-political issues such as conflict transformation, enforced disappearance, social justice, peace, and democracy.
Cast and Crew
On Stage:
Off Stage:
Contact Details :
Mandala Theatre-Nepal
Lakhechaur Marga, Thapagaun,
Kathmandu 10, New Baneshwor
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