French-Swiss Artists Visit China for Collaborative Puppet Theater Project

It has been half a year since their last encounter in Avignon. On March 1, 2025, Marjolaine Juste, the puppet designer and puppetry director of the puppet theater production “My Name is Ah Dun”, and musician Crystel Galli arrived in China from France. Invited by the Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles, they engaged in a series of in-depth exchanges and collaborative sessions with the Chinese curators and creative team. Marjolaine Juste also brought with her the prototype puppet used in the original performance, and began refining the design further through hands-on rehearsals with Chinese actors.

Exploring Creative Synergy Through Workshops

Over several days of close collaboration, the French artists conducted puppetry and music workshops with the performers. These sessions not only helped deepen mutual understanding but also sparked imaginative discussions about new and exciting ways to bring the character of Ah Dun to life on stage. The workshops also served as a platform for creative experimentation, allowing the team to gather inspiration and materials for the evolving production.

Observing Real-Life Pandas at the Beijing Zoo

On March 4, the Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles organized a special outing for the core creative team and French artists to the Beijing Zoo. There, they observed animals—particularly giant pandas—and conducted field research and sketching exercises. They also held meaningful conversations with staff members at the panda enclosure, gaining valuable insights into panda behavior and conservation. Outside of work, the team guided the visiting artists through some of Beijing’s most iconic landmarks and cultural sites.

A Warm Farewell—and a Promise to Reunite

Before their return to France on March 8, the theater company presented the artists with carefully chosen farewell gifts. In return, Marjolaine Juste gifted the troupe a CD featuring the original soundtrack of one of her directed productions.

As Ah Dun continues to evolve, so too does this international collaboration. We look forward to discovering more of Ah Dun’s potential—and to reuniting with our French artistic partners in Beijing this June for the summer leg of this creative journey.