Stealing the spotlight

Small theater productions, the Chinese equivalent of off-Broadway, have grown from strength-to-strength since their emergence in the country 30 years ago, but still need to clean up their act according to cultural officials. Comedies and dramas alike have evolved to build a loyal fan base in Beijing. However, questionable content and a perceived lack of morality in some small stage shows, coupled with inconsistency in the quality of acting and production have hindered further growth.

Last year saw a boom in small budget productions. Figures from the Beijing Trade Association for Performances showed the audience volume of small stage shows in Beijing reached 1.5 million in 2011 alone, up 35 percent year-on-year.

Fu Weibo, manager of the National Theatre of China, attributed the popularity to stage dramas that reflect life experiences of audience members in a humorous, thoughtful way.

"The interaction between drama and life is essential to encourage small stage productions," Fu said. "This has been the driving factor behind increased tickets sales to such shows."

To meet the growing demand of such small productions, more theaters have opened to accommodate shows. In 2009, Beijing was home to only 11 small stage theaters. Just two years later, it had 27.

Municipal authorities have also taken note, with 60 million yuan ($10.3 million) earmarked to build 34 theaters, more than half with small stages, in Dongcheng district alone.

However, critics have lambasted vulgar content, such as course language and sexual content, as diminishing the art form's cultural value. Wang Xiaoying, deputy manager of the National Theater of China, described the controversial content as "shallow," regardless of its popularity with audiences

"In some cases, small stage productions have earned a reputation for presenting 'three lows': low cost, low quality and low moral standards," Wang said. "More than 350 small stage dramas were performed in Beijing in 2011, and more than half of them had vulgar content."

"The pursuit of profits is reasonable, but there has to be a moral standard adhered to," said Wang, who added theater troupes have the responsibility of providing audiences with clean, quality entertainment. "These shows shouldn't defy mainstream values. They should uphold the human spirit. Producing vulgar shows to chase profits is shallow, and will tarnish the image of small stage productions," he added.

Ensuring consistency is another issue that needs to be tackled, as most small stage performances are by young playwrights and actors who lack experience, according to Fu.

"Small theater productions are mostly experimental, so it's impossible for every show to be a masterpiece," said Fu. "But every production has its specialties. Funds should be raised to support productions with potential."