Installation provides space for dreamy show

The space unfolds like a meditation, half occupied by solid, tangible pieces — sofas, antique wardrobes and lamps, with a faint woody scent. The other half glistens with a play of light, where mirrors are tightly aligned, creating an endless shimmer.

This installation, titled Moment, created by artist Song Dong, is on display at the Ennova Art Museum in Langfang, Hebei province. On a quiet September weekend, the gallery was transformed into the stage for Seven, a play where actors moved among the artwork while audience members sat cross-legged on the floor, blurring the line between spectator and scene.

Written by Tang Danian, directed by Nie Jingzhu, and starring Wu Zhoukai and Leng Xinqing, Seven debuted on Sept 13. In this late-summer moment, the production unfolds like an immersive popup, crafting fleeting, dreamlike visions.

The play is adapted from Bhutanese director Khyentse Norbu's film Looking for a Lady with Fangs and a Moustache, tracing the protagonist Tianci as he learns that he has only seven days to live.

Through seven dreams, Tianci's journey evolves from a desperate search for answers in the outer world to a deeper, more introspective dialogue, ultimately leading to a quiet reconciliation with his heart.

Nie explains that the play does more than simply adapt the film's narrative. It uses the theater's unique tools to craft a parable-like portrayal of the protagonist's inner world. "The female lead is an especially rich character — a spiritual guide and the protagonist's confidante. Her dual role allows dreams and reality to merge effortlessly," she says.

For Nie, the work asks how we interact with ourselves and, more importantly, our hearts. "Maybe it's as simple as lying in bed each night before sleeping, closing your eyes and spending time with yourself — not with your eyes, but with your heart. Seeing just to see…," she says.

Nie recalls the one line from Tang Danian's script that struck her the most: "Dream, wake. Dream, wake. Dream, wake."

"The words had a strange rhythm, echoing in my mind," she says.

"That phrase — dream, wake — reminds me of Hamlet's 'To be or not to be', confronting the ultimate question of life and death. Each time we wake from sleep, it feels like a kind of rebirth," she adds.

She also notes the unique challenge of staging a play in an art gallery, where audience expectations differ from those in a traditional theater. "We aim to keep gallery performances under 60 minutes, breaking the narrative into seven short dreamlike episodes, each lasting just a few minutes."

"At the same time, we enhance the visual and auditory elements, aiming to balance the space, the audience experience and the story," she says.

Wu, in the role of Tianci, believes that the character's struggles resonate with the challenges many face in real life. "We often dream, and those dreams can feel incredibly vivid. In Seven, each of the seven dreams serves as a confrontation between subconscious and reality," he explains.

"The play also grapples with themes of life and death, exploring how we confront our mortality. From Tang's writing to the essence of the original film, it feels very natural to discuss death, approaching it with a sense of ease," he says.

Performing within an art installation provides a unique experience for Wu.

"Song Dong's work is extraordinary: It crafts a dreamlike atmosphere while remaining firmly rooted in reality. Each piece of furniture is tangible and lived-in.

"The space is adorned with mirrors, creating an illusion that you are suspended in a dreamlike state, floating in a lake or drifting through space. It's genuinely magical, evoking anything we might imagine," he says.

"In such an environment, dreaming becomes both wonderful and exhilarating, as if a certain magic envelops you, expanding your thoughts and allowing you to become immersed in the performance."

In Tianci's dreams, a "spiritual guide" appears, taking various forms. Leng plays the spiritual guide. "I embody a cat that plays with humans, a classmate from your dance class, a girl who eats flowers, or a creature from dreams — it's a whimsical role," she says.

Leng highlights the free feeling she had in her performance, noting that the director provides insightful guidance at crucial moments.

"Nie is one of the most vibrant and delightful people I've ever met. She has a magical presence. Everyone she works with seems to gain unique abilities from her. She even helps ease my long-standing anxieties," Leng adds.