On June 8, 2019, Yushang Hemei Culture & Tourism joined hands with Meng Jinghui, a pioneer Chinese drama director, to drop a theatrical “bomb” in Chengdu. The globally large-scale immersive drama ‘Stealing Hearts in Chengdu’ had its official premiere at the Yushang Hemei Pioneer Theatre. The premiere tickets were sold out in 18 seconds, the Weibo topic discussion exceeded 60 million views, and a spectator set a record of watching the drama 33 times in 6 months. ‘Stealing Hearts in Chengdu’ quickly became a new internet-famous landmark in Chengdu. It was hailed by the media as a landmark event in the history of Chinese drama in 2019 and was highly affirmed by both audiences and the media.
Why is it called ‘Stealing Hearts in Chengdu’? Meng Jinghui’s answer is, “When you come to Chengdu, your heart and emotions will be stolen. It’s that kind of feeling where you have no choice, are forced, and yet indulged in it.” As the first immersive drama reflecting the pioneer cultural spirit of Chengdu, Meng Jinghui moved the entire team to Chengdu. Taking Chengdu as the story background and inspiration source, and the integration of the city and senses as the theatrical puzzle, he created a brand-new “love futurism” in multi-linear and fragmented time and space.
In ‘Stealing Hearts in Chengdu’, drama is no longer an elegant pastime of watching the stage. Instead, it is an immersive paradise without seats where the audience walks through the three-story theatre following the actors. The audience is no longer a bystander sitting under the stage but a roamer freely exploring the mysterious theatrical landscape.
Therefore, the consistent main story line in traditional drama is not the focus and end of ‘Stealing Hearts in Chengdu’. It requires you to be in a psychological state of exploring the unknown and embrace a roaming perspective of freedom, and choose by yourself where to go and what to see.
Futurism, cyber love, urban memory, identity maze… The vivid atmosphere creation, self-selected plot settings, scene atmosphere that fully mobilizes the five senses, non-repetitive moving route design, and the 1V1 interaction with actors to be unlocked… This way of watching a drama, completely immersed in being disconnected from the world and meeting oneself, may be something fresh and interesting that you have never experienced before, and also a new reason to come to Chengdu.
The three main story lines of ‘Stealing Hearts in Chengdu’ flow with space and occur with time in the large theatre, waiting for each audience member to fully immerse themselves in this leisurely journey of being disconnected from the world and harvest their own “Chengdu stories”:
Monster – The doctor pursues the romance of God’s creation. He searches for everything possible just to achieve an unattainable achievement for humanity – the flawless artificial human. Through his hands, technology sheds its cold coat and becomes a vivid and melancholy dream. The lover’s face, subtle emotions, abandonment and betrayal, charming danger all shine in the darkness and finally reach a climax on this night.
Apple – I love you, you love him, he loves her… An intimate game about love. Young men and women test and approach each other, appear and leave. But they all have the same question in their hearts: Is the person lying next to them really the one they miss? And is the long-desired intimate relationship a misplacement like a tomato growing on an apple tree?
Crow – In the youth that refuses to play it safe, these young people have paranoia that we can all empathize with.
They seek answers yet reject them, yearn for an outlet while refusing compromise. When love arrives like a flood and desire breaks free like a wild beast, the facade of youth is torn away, revealing the true self beneath…
Operation hours and business status are subject to the actual opening conditions on the day.
Service facilities: Parking lot at [YuShang He Mei Pioneer Theater] with a reference price of 0.0; Address: No. 299, Section 5, East Second Ring Road, Jinjiang District, Chengdu; Capacity: 200
Luggage storage: Reference price: Free; Storage process: 1. Ring the bell; 2. Place your bag; 3. Take the yellow slip. Retrieval process: 1. Ring the bell; 2. Return the yellow slip; 3. Collect your bag.
Restrooms: Both inside and outside the venue, restrooms are available, with clear signage indicating their locations.
