# Wang Chong (director)

Wang Chong (王翀; born 8 January 1982) is an avant-garde theatre director and translator. His works have been performed in over 20 countries on 6 continents. Wang's Chinese experimental theatre includes multimedia performance and documentary theatre.

## Life

Wang graduated from Peking University with a degree in law and economics. Since then, he has studied theatre in China and the U.S., working with influential directors Lin Zhaohua and Robert Wilson.
In 2008, Wang Chong founded Théatre du Rêve Expérimental (薪传实验剧团), a Beijing-based performance group. It soon became one of the most active touring companies in China. His works include: The Warfare of Landmine 2.0, winning 2013 Festival/Tokyo Award; Lu Xun, noted by The Beijing News as The Best Chinese Performance of Year 2016; Teahouse 2.0, winning One Drama Award The Best Little Theater Performance of Year 2017; Thunderstorm 2.0, noted as one of The Best Ten Little Theatre Works in China, 1982-2012.
At the start of year 2016, Wang stopped using cellphone and social networks. He currently lives in The De-electrified Territory (TDT, or Ting Dian Ting), a self-designed Beijing apartment that has no electricity and no electronics.

## Theatre works

| Title | Text | Time of Premiere | Tour |
| Lying Flat 2.0 | Wang Chong | 2024, world premiere | Wuzhen |
| Made in China 2.0 | Wang Chong | 2023, world premiere | Boston, Melbourne, Groningen, Dar es Salaam, Adelaide, Penang, Phnom Penh, Hamilton, Puebla, Havana, Pereira, Berlin, Seattle, Vladivostok |
| Being and Time 2.0 | Ma Chuyi | 2021, world premiere | Guangzhou, Foshan |
| Waiting for Godot | Samuel Beckett | 2020, online premiere | Actors at Wuhan, Beijing, Datong |
| The Insane Asylum Next to Heaven | Nick Yu | 2019 | Shanghai |
| On Where Do We Come From, What Are We, Where Are We Going 2.0 | Ma Chuyi | 2019, world premiere | Beijing, Wuzhen, Modena, Cagliari |
| Kiss Kiss Bang Bang 2.0 | Wang Chong | 2017, world premiere | Tokyo |
| As the Sparrow Wended in A Windless Winter | Zhao Binghao | 2017, world premiere | Tokyo |
| Teahouse 2.0 | Lao She | 2017, world premiere | Beijing |
| Little Emperors | Lachlan Philppot | 2017, world premiere | Melbourne |
| Lu Xun | Li Jing | 2016, world premiere | Beijing, Shaoxing, Hangzhou, Shanghai |
| Constellations | Nick Payne | 2015, Chinese language premiere | Beijing, Xi'an, Suzhou, Chongqing, Shanghai, Wuzhen, Groningen, New York, Macau, Foshan |
| Revolutionary Model Play 2.0 | Zhao Binghao | 2015, world premiere | Singapore |
| Stories from Unofficial China | Gritt Uldall-Jessen | 2015, world premiere | Helsingor |
| Ghosts 2.0 | Henrik Ibsen | 2014, world premiere | Seoul, Beijing, Tokyo, Taoyuan, Taipei, Shanghai, Groningen |
| The Warfare of Landmine 2.0 | Wang Chong and Zhao Binghao | 2013, world premiere | Tokyo, Hangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai |
| Kurukulla | Zhao Binghao | 2013, world premiere | New York |
| Ibsen in One Take | Oda Fiskum after Henrik Ibsen | 2012, world premiere | Beijing, Rotterdam, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Oslo, Adelaide |
| The Flowers on the Sea 2.0 | Wang Chong after Han Bangqing | 2012, world premiere | Shanghai |
| The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs | Mike Daisey | 2012, Chinese language premiere | Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou, Wuxi, Taicang |
| The Chairs 2.0 | Devised | 2012, world premiere | Toga, Beijing |
| Thunderstorm 2.0 | Wang Chong and Liang Anzheng after Cao Yu | 2012, world premiere | Beijing, Taipei, Jerusalem, New York |
| Central Park West | Woody Allen | 2011, Chinese language premiere | Beijing, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Zhengzhou, Changsha, Ningbo, Shanghai, Taipei, Tianjin |
| Hamletmachine | Heiner Muller | 2010, China mainland premiere | Beijing, Hangzhou, Avignon |
| The Peking OperaTION | Devised | 2010, world premiere | Beijing, Shanghai |
| Crave | Sarah Kane | 2009, China mainland premiere | Beijing |
| Self-accusation | Peter Handke | 2009, China mainland premiere | Beijing, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shanghai, London |
| The Vagina Monologues | Eve Ensler | 2009, China mainland premiere | Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Changsha, Hangzhou, Tianjin |
| e-Station | Devised | 2008, world premiere | Beijing, New York, Quebec, Edinburgh, Shanghai |
| The Arabian Night | Roland Schimmelpfennig | 2007, Chinese language premiere | Beijing |
| Hamletism | William Shakespeare | 2006, world premiere | Honolulu, Beijing |

## Translations

Plays:
* Hamletmachine by Heiner Muller
* Crave by Sarah Kane
* The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler
* The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs by Mike Daisey
* Constellations by Nick Payne
* The Heretic by Richard Bean
* Electronic City by Falk Richter
* The Arabian Night by Roland Schimmelpfennig
* Miss Julie by Katie Mitchell after August Strindberg and Inger Christensen
* Father's Braid by Amnon Levy and Rami Danon
* Ibsen in One Take by Oda Fiskum (co-translation)
* Tokyo Notes by Hirata Oriza (co-translation)
* The Bedbug by Meng Jinghui (from Chinese into English)
Other:
* The Empty Space by Peter Brook
* The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure For Writers by Christopher Vogler
* "Theatre at Its Age of Acceleration" by Thomas Ostermeier

## Awards and honors

* One Drama Award for Best Little Theater Performance of Year 2017 (Teahouse 2.0)
* Best Chinese Production of Year 2016 (Lu Xun), The Beijing News
* Festival/Tokyo Award (The Warfare of Landmine 2.0), 2013
* Asian Cultural Council Fellowship, 2013
* Experimental Artist of the Year, The Beijing News, 2012
* Jury Award, Asian Theatre Directors’ Festival (Chairs 2.0), 2012
* Nomination for Best Production (e-Station), Mont-Laurier International Theatre Festival, 2009
* Han Suyin Award for Young Translators, Translators Association of China, 2007