From 4 to 28 July, the 68th Avignon Theatre Festival was held at Avignon, France. Students of the Department of Acting of the Shanghai Theatre Academy (STA) staged Eugene Ionesco’s famous play “Exit the King” at the “Off” Festival with 23 consecutive performances at the Theatre des Halles winning great popularity among the French media and audiences.
Since its first inaugural performance at Avignon on 5 July, the play “Exit the King” had attracted the attention of the media, critics and audiences. More than 20 French media including La Provence as well as the Festival’s official newsletter La Terrasse reported the French debut of “Exit the King”.
When the last performance on 28 July was over, the French audience, who were greatly impressed and touched by the excellent performance of the young actors and actresses from China, responded with ceaseless applause and cheers. When the theatre lights were back on, the actors and actresses remained on the stage for a long time bidding the farewell to the audience with their eyes, but feeling reluctant to leave the stage themselves after the companion day and night over the past month.
The 2014 Avignon Theatre Festival is now over. For STA students who had the honour to be part of it, it provided them the opportunity to experience the brilliance of European theatre. At Avignon, they harvested the applause from the audience and won the recognition for STA. Moreover, they made an important and meaningful step forward for their future career in performing arts.
Stage photo of "Exit the King"
