What joys and challenges lie shrouded by the halo of celebrity when a beloved actress steps away from the camera lens onto the theatre stage? The first session of Huayi Dialogues features a soulful conversation with award-winning Chinese actress Jiang Shan on what “returning” means to her.

A household name in China’s film and television industry, Jiang Shan has in recent years been a fixture on theatre stages instead, cementing her dedication to the theatrical arts with acclaimed performances in productions such as Deling and Cixi and Oedipus Rex. Hers is a story of passion and persistence and moderator Liu Xiaoyi chats with Jiang Shan to explore her transition from screen to stage to find out how an artist protects their unique and original artistic intentions in an age of fast-food culture.

This session is part of Huayi Dialogues, conceived and moderated by Singapore theatre practitioner Liu Xiaoyi. 

Huayi Dialogues returns to examine and dissect the very core of theatre: its People and its Art. Co-curated with Singapore theatre practitioner Liu Xiaoyi, this year's edition features five illuminating sessions with theatre luminaries from Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Taipei, coming together to dissect the “bones” and “soul” of Chinese theatre.