Beijing Actors Share About Theater & Dating in China
Date Night China and Middle Kingdom Creatives are teaming up to take you to the theater this weekend in a special two night performance of 'One Night Stand!'
18 members of the Beijing theater community will be taking part in these one act plays. The plays are comedies that range from poignant to zany, dramatic to droll, and have been selected from collections of the best US and UK short plays of the last 12 years.
Date Night China asks some of the talented cast members to share about their experiences with these one act plays and how their theater experience is related to dating in China.
Tickets for both nights are SOLD OUT!
If you didn't snag a ticket, stay tuned for more theater performances in the Beijing community.
Describe dating in China in one sentence.
Mario van Basten: Lost in translation.
Kiki Davenport: If you’re in the dating pool in China, there's probably pee in it. If I chose one word it would be... Kerfuffle
Ana Padilla: Dating in China takes a lot of patience, good spirits and a smidge of good luck!
Steven McKinney: The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of Tinder.
Devon Sharpe: Dating in China can often be passionate, raunchy and, at times, dysfunctional. Much like my relationship to QS,
Ryan Campbell: A wild, ceaseless adventure.
Chloe Whitehouse: Hit and miss, and miss, and miss again, try another arrow, missed again, try a different direction, oooh nearly got it, but missed, I think I'll give up... (Throws arrow over shoulder and gets a bullseye) You've got to be kidding?
Steph Stone: A land of extremes. A rollicking adventure full of new people and places OR weeks alone with solo sex toys. There is no middle ground!
READ MORE: Dating in China in Just 6 Words
If you had to compare your love life in China to the name of a theater play or film, what would it be and why?
Mario van Basten: Home Alone. Although I don’t have intruders, but I do have a rabbit that likes to intrude.
Kiki Davenport: Before I was married, I may have called my dating experiences or my love life Jean-Paul Sartre's "No Exit" because it was filled with what felt like an existential crisis and it felt like hell to deal with some people (Haha)! Today however, now that I’m happily and slightly newly married, I would compare my love life in China to Neil Simon's "Barefoot in the Park" because life really is a play with no rehearsal and being newly married, especially outside of your home country feels like a rollercoaster and it's filled with hilarity but there's no one I'd rather ride with than my life partner.
Anna Padilla: Hmm! I'm having a hard time with this question. I guess I'll say "In the Mood for Love", but strictly for the title and my own interpretation of it - the film would have nothing to do with it!
Steven McKinney: Spider-Man on Broadway - I'm just a big nerd disguised in a cool mask, and I seem to fall clumsily in love.
Devon Sharpe: A Didi Named Desire
Ryan Campbell: Dating in China is nothing if not a Crucible: the challenges and opportunities are myriad.
Chloe Whitehouse: "All's Well That Ends Well" – Shakespeare
Steph Stone: "Much Ado About Nothing"- Self-explanatory lol
Which character from a theater play or film would you want to date and why?
Kiki Davenport: I would definitely date Mercutio from "Romeo and Juliet" because in my mind, he's handsome, he is hilarious and witty; always down for a good party and he is so loyal (the definition of a ride or die friend)!
Anna Padilla: This one also got me thinking hard, haha. A few months ago, I got to watch Chungking Express and had this girl crush on Faye Wong's character. So quirky, fresh and lovely. Kind of like Midori in Norwegian Wood. I'm trying so hard to think of dudes from theater and films that I'd want to date, haha. Hmm. Really basic but I guess Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. We love to see an aloof romantic king.
Steven McKinney: Katherine the Great from "The Great" cause ... she's great.
Devon Sharpe: I'm gonna set the bar low and say "citizen #3" They only speak when absolutely necessary and you know they're good in bed ;)
Ryan Campbell: Chris Keller from Arthur Miller's All My Sons: a man who strives for morality in a world that doesn't, who can't entirely make sense of modernity or how to exist inside it. What a stud!
Chloe Whitehouse: Satine from Moulin Rouge. Because she's energetic, flirty and we could do lots of dancing together!
Steph Stone: Genes Kelly's character from Singing in the Rain. A man who can sing, dance AND has the thighs of a god?! Yes please!
Have there been any challenges with acting in these One Act Plays about love and dating?
Mario van Basten: No real challenges. I really like the fun banter that happens during rehearsals.
Kiki Davenport: I think the biggest challenge in acting in these One Act Plays are the fact that they are so short. Many of them are so funny and things escalate so quickly and it's difficult to sometimes capture the fullness of a character and fully connect. I have enjoyed meeting new people and making new connections. The rehearsals are fun and it's a learning opportunity and I love the theatre community here!
Ana Padilla: Honestly nothing that I'd truly describe as a challenge! Well, other than nailing down Pearl's natural, um...penchant for grabbing things that aren't hers... But really, I'm just so glad to have returned to the stage. I used to do theater in elementary and high school, even sporadically at college, and I really missed it. Plus, getting to work with this lovely cast has been awesome.
Steven McKinney: I'm a seasoned veteran on stage as a singer/musician, quite comfortable playing the part of Stevie Mac in the famed Beijing band Stevie Mac & The Mac Daddies. I have an almost unflappable confidence with singing on stage. Acting on stage, however, well that is a whole other story. I've somehow managed to surround myself with trained actors and I often times feel like a fish out of water, well outside my wheelhouse. It's quite daunting. feel like a contained ball of nerves half-the-time! Haha
Devon Sharpe: The challenge has certainly been explaining to my partner that a smooch onstage does not count as extracurricular philandering. I'd have to say my favorite part of the experience so far has been the extracurricular philandering.
Ryan Campbell: What a motley menagerie of performers and directors we've assembled! Getting acquainted with them has been a delight.
Chloe Whitehouse: My partner Ryan and director Danny have been fantastic. They've been really patient with me as I've undergone surgery so we had to make some movement adjustments. That's it though really!
Steph Stone: In a one-act play you have to convey more about the character in a compressed space of time so all your acting choices need to be much more deliberate. You need to think and plan them more since you don't have the luxury of time in performance to hit your stride after a few acts. You need to be in it straight away!
Do you have a memorable dating/relationship story in China you'd like to share with our readers?
Kiki Davenport: I will merely ask the question: have you ever ended up in a place with someone you attempted to go on a date with but ended up blocking on Wechat and then had to get your friends to help you hide from the overzealous person in an overcrowded bar, filled with friendly, intoxicated people? Let's just say... hilarity ensues.
Ana Padilla: My current partner and I had kind of known each other for a couple of years but had never really had much of a proper conversation. In Christmas 2021 we were at a Secret Santa party and I picked his gift because it was wrapped so gorgeously...it was a book on birds. I actually loved the gift, but assumed he scored it at some clearance shelf. Turns out homeboy just really loves his birds. Well, that's hilariously nerdy but also cute, I thought. We started talking more and... the rest is history. :)
Devon Sharpe: I once shared a lovely kiss on a street corner with a McDonald's delivery driver, proving that the fastest way to my heart is quick and affordable food delivery.
Chloe Whitehouse: I went on a date with a guy that would only answer my questions with sarcasm, which is my fault because I initially laughed at him and he thought he should continue. Moving onto another bar, we went to the toilet, but on my return, he had gone! I looked at my phone to see a message from him "I can't believe you'd leave me!" I called him stating I was still at the bar and he was like "omg I'm so sorry I'll come back, I'm on my way." I told him not to bother. I wouldn't mind but I was only in the toilet for a minute!
Steph Stone: Check out my Date Night China podcast episode in season one for those juicy details 😉
Thanks to the cast for sharing their experiences, and catch them this weekend if you've got a ticket to One Night Stand!
Big thanks to the performance venue for the night: Shang!
金尚Shang(朝阳区新源里西20号楼)
About the Shang
Here at Shang we believe in a hybrid culture, where every member of our tribe strives to reach their individual potential. We are not afraid to merge beauty and commerce, hard work and reward, the local and the global. Shang is the premier collection of office space, event space, concept hotel, eateries and much more. We are an organic growing community fostering individuals who place value in exceeding the ordinary. Learn more about Shang on their WeChat official account.
ABOUT MIDDLE KINGDOM CREATIVES
Middle Kingdom Creatives (MKC) is dedicated to bringing the artistic community is Beijing together. Thus far projects have included a full-cast audio drama, live murder mysteries, and theatrical events (such as the Drunk Shakespeare production of A Midsummer Night's Dream this past December 2021). They are looking forward to producing One Night Stand: Six Short Plays About Love and Dating.
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Date Night China is a digital media brand and international community based in China. We focus on creating media content and hosting events that help people connect, expand their cultural perspectives, and share stories related to dating and relationships in China. We currently host events in Shanghai and Beijing, but our community has people from all over China and is open to any nationality, gender, and identity.
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