The fourth Lao She Theater Festival opened on Oct 23 in Beijing, although many performances have been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ten plays were staged.

One highlight is the play Neighbors, adapted from Lao She's eponymous work, which was staged on Oct 24 at the Lao She Memorial Hall, a courtyard in Beijing where the writer lived with his wife, artist Hu Jieqing, and their four children from 1950 to 1966.

"Over the past four years, the Lao She Theater Festival has developed into a platform for theatrical productions from home and abroad," says Cheng Hui, the festival's co-initiator and curator.

"It allows for creativity and brings opportunities for young people, including directors, scriptwriters and actors. We had to rearrange our programs because this year's performing-arts market has been heavily affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The audiences' feedback is very warm and encouraging."

He adds that A Flea in Her Ear (La Puce a l'oreille), a play by Georges Feydeau written in 1907 and staged by the Comedie-Francaise theater company, has been screened online, enabling more people to enjoy the festival.