By: Jack Lee
The original Chinese drama “Red” recently staged at the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center’s D6 Space, running from March 13 to 21 for nine performances. Produced by Shanghai Gaofanfan Cultural Communication Co., Ltd. (the Chinese production entity of Canada’s Goh Van Film Production Inc.), the play was initially conceived by a Vancouver-based production team, refined through overseas tryouts and tours, and then upgraded for its Shanghai debut. This creative model, “overseas incubation, return to the home market, and re-export to the world”, charts a new path for international exchange in Chinese original theater.
Behind this model lies a clear investment approach and strategic planning. Leveraging international resources from its Canadian parent company, the production team invested early in the project, conducting trial performances in multicultural markets like Singapore and Canada to gauge audience reactions across different cultures. After incorporating feedback from overseas, the play returned to Shanghai, China’s most vibrant theater market, for full-scale production and commercial performances. The Shanghai team reworked the script and character dynamics to align with local cultural contexts, while upgrading stage design, lighting, and multimedia elements to blend Eastern emotional depth with international aesthetics. The successful local run not only achieved box-office success and critical acclaim but also provided valuable experience for future overseas tours.
Photo Courtesy: Goh Van Film Production Inc. (Rufus Lu, President of Goh Van Film Production Inc.)
“Red” tells the story of Wenwen, a young woman with literary aspirations who is thrust into the world of “internet celebrities” amid life’s challenges and emotional shifts. Through poetic stagecraft, the play explores the spiritual quest of individuals in the digital age, centering on universal themes of growth, choice, and the clash between ideals and reality, themes that resonate across cultures.
Driven by investment and innovative models, the production process of “Red” has achieved multiple layers of value. Overseas incubation allowed the work to absorb diverse cultural influences in an open environment, avoiding the limitations of a single market. Upon returning to China, systematic production in Shanghai, with its mature theater operations and audience base, further enhanced the work’s artistic quality and market potential. Rufus Lu, President of Goh Van Film Production Inc., commented, “This model enables the work to be tested in different cultural contexts, continuously refined, and ultimately form a stable path for cultural dissemination.”
Notably, theater performances are becoming an integral part of urban nightlife. In Shanghai, venues often drive consumption in surrounding restaurants, cafes, and cultural shops, creating a “theater + dining + social” night economy model. The performances of “Red” have attracted a large number of young viewers, making “after-work theater” a lifestyle trend that extends cultural consumption and injects new vitality into the city’s night economy.
Following the success of the Shanghai run, the production company has launched plans for multi-format development of “Red,” including a musical version, short-form video content, and explorations in immersive storytelling, while actively preparing for overseas tours. Industry experts believe that this path, driven by investment, shaped by innovative models, and guided by an international vision, is forging a sustainable paradigm for Chinese original theater and offering a broader stage for telling Chinese stories to the world.
