"Black Light Theater is a world of imagination where everything is possible and we are able to show the world in an unusual way. The impossible is made possible. In fact, some things are only possible in a black theater!" So said Jiri Aster Srnec, the producer and director of Srnec Productions.

Srnec is referring to a theatrical phenomenon that has delighted audiences at more than 70 international theater festivals over the past 46 years throughout the world. And now the Black Light Theatre Srnec of Prague (from Czech Republic), is about to embark on its first-ever China tour this summer, staging favorite scenes from the troupe's long history.

Floating in midair

Actors at the Black Light Theater dress in full-black costumes and perform against an equally dark background so that the objects they hold seem to be floating in midair. The technique dates back to ancient China, where it was used to entertain emperors. During the 18th century it began to appear in Japanese puppet theaters. And at the end of the 19th century, George Melies, the French illusionist and filmmaker, used the black box "trick" in the making of his first films.

During the 1950s, French avant-garde puppeteers adopted the same technique to critical success. One of them, George Lafaye, is generally referred to as the "father" of Black Light Theater. But it was the Czech theater director Jiri Srnec, the founder and art director of Black Light Theatre Srnec, who was the first person to form a company wholly dedicated to using this theatrical technique.

Srnec, in his performances, also uses UV lighting, fluorescent costumes and other lighting techniques. Srnec has defined his theatrical creation as "a celebration of human fantasy and dreams, in contrast with today's hasty world."

The first performance of the ensemble took place in 1959 in Vienna, but the event that brought the troupe international fame was their show at the Theatre Festival of Edinburgh in 1962. Every performance was greeted by a standing ovation and a review published in The Times said the company "brought magic back to the stage."

"We are showing a surrealistic world," Jiri Aster Srnec, the son of the founder Jiri Srnec, told the Global Times. The performance that will be shown in Shanghai is entitled The Best of Black Light Theatre and is a selection of different sketches taken from several original productions of Black Light Theater. "We present objects as living beings which have their own feelings and emotions. The performance mostly reflects a humorous world of imagination, but you can also find parts with deeper, hidden messages," said Srnec.

The opening scene of the Shanghai performance is taken from the company's very first production and is entitled Launderette. The piece was devised even before the company had been officially established. "Because this is our first time in China, we think it is important to show highlights from our long history. This is basically the same show we have toured all over Latin America countless times. We even brought the same program back to certain places because the audiences were so eager to see the show again. The response from audience members is the best reward any performer can receive," he added.

Lucky accident 

Srnec said that the adoption of the technique of a black box was a serendipitous accident. "The story began when my father was directing a short piece with his classmates at a puppet academy," he said. "Some girls were carrying a coffin on their shoulders, and they were wearing black shirts and standing in front of a black curtain. The boys were also dressed in black and were holding mugs in their hands. Suddenly it seemed that the coffin and assorted mugs were floating in the air."

Some of the most successful performances of the troupe include adaptations of famous stories, like Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan. "But I always preferred my father's original stories," said Srnec. "He was a bottomless source of inspiration and imagination and was inspired by the world in which we all live. That is maybe why his performances are so appreciated by audiences everywhere."

The performers in the company highlight a number of performance skills and include ballet dancers, contemporary dancers, mime artists and dramatic actors.

The troupe is currently working on Flying Velocipede, the story of a young 19th century inventor who wants to create a velocipede (a vehicle with two or three wheels which is propelled by the rider) that will fly. He falls in love with a girl who has been promised by her parents to another man.

"We are also preparing White Pierrot in Black, a performance based on the famous characters of Italian theater - Pierrot, Harlequin and Columbine. We hope we will be able to bring these new shows to China soon," said Srnec.

Date: August 23, 7:15 pm

Venue: Shanghai Oriental Art Center

上海东方艺术中心

Address: 425 Dingxiang Road

丁香路425号

Tickets: 60 to 380 yuan

Call 6854-1234 for details