Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
is a big fan. There is a performance every night at 7.30pm. The box office is open daily from
9.30am or you can ring to reserve. Ticket prices vary, but cost at least
￥
180.
Zhengyici Theatre
正义祠剧场
, zhèngyìcí jùchǎng 220 Qianmen Xiheyanjie 010
63189454; Hepingmen subway (line 2).
The genuine article, performed in the only surviving
wooden Beijing opera theatre and worth a visit just to check out the architecture. Tickets from
￥
380.
TEAHOUSE THEATRES
Lao She Teahouse
老舍茶馆
, lăoshĕ cháguăn 3F Dawancha Building, 3 Qianmen Xidajie
010 63036830; Qianmen subway (line 2).
At this long-running venue, you can watch the
90min-long “Old Beijing Variety Show”; popular with tour groups, it gives a gaudy taste of
traditional Chinese culture. Daily 7.40pm;
￥
180-380.
Tianqiaole Teahouse Theatre
天桥乐茶园
, tiānqiáolè cháyuán 113 Tianqiao Nandajie
010 51655060; Qianmen subway (line 2), then taxi.
The organizers here have tried hard to
create an authentic atmosphere, from the mock-traditional building right down to the Qing
costumes worn by the staff. “Crosstalk” performances begin at 7pm and last 3hr, and mostly
comprise segments of traditional opera with a little acrobatics in between. Buying tickets in
advance is advised, as the place is sometimes booked out with tour groups.
￥
180 including
tea and snacks;
￥
330 including a duck dinner as well.
DRAMA AND DANCE
Most evenings you can catch Chinese song and dance simply by turning on the TV, though
there's plenty of opportunity to see it live. Some venues, such as the Beijing Exhibition
Theatre, occasionally stage performances in the original language of imported
musicals
like
The Sound of Music
, which, with tickets at
￥
50-100, are a lot cheaper to watch here than at
home.
Dance
is popular in Beijing, generally more so at the traditional end of the spectrum,
though you can see more contemporary forms at a few small venues. There are also a num-
ber of places in which to see
theatre
, both traditional and imported; in addition to the venues
listed here, check the
Poly Theatre
for its programme of theatre and dance.
