Imagine stepping into a world where reality blurs with fiction, where the boundaries of audience and performer dissolve and where every corner of the venue holds a piece of the unfolding narrative.

That is the captivating essence of environmental theater, a form of performance art that has captured the hearts and imaginations of young audiences worldwide.

On the night of June 26, a young Chinese audience was ready to watch the latest environmental theater production Fighting of Art produced by Star Theaters in Beijing.

Transformed from a traditional courtyard, Star Theaters is known for staging smaller and contemporary productions and has become a magnet for drama aficionados since it opened in 2009.

For the new production, Fighting of Art, one of Star Theaters' three auditoriums has been turned into a ballroom.

With a capacity of about 120 seats, audiences are invited to join a wedding, where the story begins.

Featuring five actors and actresses, Fighting of Art takes the audience back to the year 1948, a year before the founding of the People's Republic of China. The story revolves around a group of young people — members of the Communist Party of China, who use drama to encourage people to fight for the nation.

They also use drama to fight enemies and to accomplish their secret missions.

"Unlike traditional theater, where the stage is a distant platform and the audience remains seated, environmental theater invites participants to roam freely through intricately designed spaces, interacting with performers, exploring scenes from multiple angles, and becoming integral parts of the story themselves," says director Xue Senyu."At its core, environmental theater transforms the traditional theater setting into a playground of possibilities."

Xue notes that the script of Fighting of Art has been revised for more than a year. Unlike traditional scripts, which rely on fixed staging and audience perspective, environmental theater scripts must account for the interactive nature of the performance. The script has to create pathways that allow for multiple audience participants, ensuring that each participant's experience remains cohesive and compelling while offering opportunities for exploration and discovery.

The creative team of Fighting of Art has used elements of jubensha, which is a role-playing murder mystery game popular among young Chinese people.

"This production appeals particularly to young audiences who crave experiences that are not only visually and emotionally stimulating but also interactive and participatory," Xue says.

Li Xinyan, a 26-year-old accountant, was one such member of the audience who came to the Star Theaters almost two hours before the curtain raised on Fighting of Art at its premiere. The courtyard of Star Theaters has been decorated with items taking people back to the period, such as rickshaws and movie posters of the 1940s.

The young woman takes photos with her friends, shares them on social media platforms and also tries on traditional qipao dresses and headwear that Star Theaters prepares for the audience for free as a way to warm up for the show.

"There is so much to discover before watching the show, which is very interesting and different compared to traditional theater experiences," says Li. "I can wear the qipao during the show, which is so much fun."

Deng Wei, vice-president of Star Theaters and the company's chief producer, says that "in an era dominated by digital screens and virtual interactions, environmental theater offers a refreshing departure from the norm. It provides a tangible, sensorial experience that cannot be replicated through a screen".

"One of the most compelling aspects of environmental theater is its ability to foster community and forge connections among its participants. This communal aspect not only enhances the enjoyment of the experience but also creates lasting bonds and shared memories among attendees."

Since the story happens during a wedding, there are also snacks and drinks offered on each table, Deng adds.

"By engaging all the senses — sight, sound, touch and smell — these performances offer a visceral encounter with storytelling. For young people who may spend much of their time in virtual spaces, the opportunity to physically engage with the art and narrative in a shared physical space holds unique appeal," Deng notes.

According to Deng, Fighting of Art is the company's second environmental theater production.

Last November, it staged Miss Julie, a Chinese adaptation of Swedish dramatist August Strindberg's renowned eponymous play, which was published in 1888 and first performed in 1889. The production has just three roles and the auditorium, which usually seats 200, was turned into a basement kitchen at Julie's home, with only 60 seats available in different parts of the set.

More than 100 shows of Miss Julie have been staged and it is still on as one of the best-selling productions of the company.

At the same time, environmental theater presents unique challenges and opportunities for performers, scriptwriters and directors.

Actor Meng Bowen plays in Miss Julie and also he plays one of the roles in Fighting of Art.

"Everything we do with these productions lies in navigating the complexities of audience interaction, fostering an atmosphere where spontaneity enriches the storytelling without compromising the integrity of the production," says Meng, 28.

"Though the way I was trained in school was traditional, I enjoy the new form of theater by interacting with the audience. They inspire me," says Meng, adding that he gains this heightened level of skill and presence, as performers navigate the fluid boundaries between scripted scenes and impromptu interactions, through each performance.

"Environmental theater presents unique challenges and opportunities for the actors and actresses. For us, the dynamic nature of the audience interaction requires adaptability and spontaneity," says actress Zhou Xiaoling, who is known for her roles in Star Theaters' productions, such as The Desperate Love, which premiered over 10 years ago and is still showing at Star Theaters.

In Fighting of Art, Zhou plays the role of a young actress who is the bride secretly working with her colleagues to escape from the investigation of the enemy.

"It is the first time that I have acted in an environmental theater production. I was very nervous but excited," says Zhou, 35."The audience is very close to us and we must be prepared to engage with them in unexpected ways, improvising responses and maintaining the integrity of their characters amid unpredictable scenarios."

"But what I love about environmental theater is that I can see instant feedback from the audience," she adds.

After its first round of performances running through Sunday, Fighting of Art will be staged again with the second run starting July 26.

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