SOLT Showcases British Theatre at Cultural Celebration for President of China

Today, Wednesday 21 October 2015, Society of London Theatre (SOLT) showcased the creative strength of British theatre and celebrated some of the theatrical works which have been successfully exported to China.

The showcase took place at Lancaster House in Central London as part of a State Visit by The President of The People's Republic of China, Mr Xi Jinping, accompanied by Madame Peng Liyuan in the presence of Their Royal Highnesses The Duke And Duchess of Cambridge.

The event was held to strengthen the cultural ties between the two nations. Major cultural organisations taking part in the event included the BBC, BAFTA, ITV, Universal Music, the RSC and the Victoria & Albert Museum.

The highlight of SOLT's presentation was a performance of 'Quiet' from the Royal Shakespeare Company's multi award-winning production of Matilda The Musical, based on the much-loved book by Roald Dahl. This was the first time the lyrics, written by Tim Minchin, had been translated into Mandarin.

SOLT's showcase also included a video presentation of successful British theatrical exports to China. These include the musicals Mamma Mia! and The Phantom Of The Opera along with the National Theatre's international hit production of War Horse, based on the novel by Michael Morpurgo.

Julian Bird, Chief Executive of SOLT, said: "Theatre has always been one of the United Kingdom's greatest exports and the new emerging Chinese cultural market provides a huge and exciting opportunity for this key industry. Theatre in the United Kingdom is a world-leader and stands to benefit from this international investment. Writers, directors, actors and producers in the United Kingdom are creating exhilarating drama contributing to a new theatrical golden age and so we look forward to strengthening our cultural and economic ties with China."

Catherine Mallyon, Executive Director, RSC said: "It is a great honour for our production of Matilda The Musicalto feature in today's event. Theatre helps us tell our stories and express our values and we understand one another better when we share those experiences. As well as inviting Chinese visitors to enjoy the very best of British culture when they come to the UK, British theatre companies are learning so much from our collaborations with partners in China. As part of a long term cultural exchange programme, the RSC is undertaking a major tour to China next year with Shakespeare's History plays, and we have already embarked on significant projects with Chinese partners to translate Shakespeare into Mandarin and Chinese classical drama into English. We are eager to share the very best of both cultures with a wider audience."

The President of The People's Republic of China, Mr Xi Jinping, accompanied by Madame Peng Liyuan, accepted the invitation from Her Majesty The Queen to pay a State Visit to the United Kingdom from 20th to23rd October 2015. The last State Visit from China was by President Hu Jintao in 2005.

Information about Society of London Theatre can be found at www.solt.co.uk