Staging a Good Night Out: The Top Theater Shows Coming to Beijing This Month

With the first day of winter now behind us, it is time to start considering which indoor entertainment will help us pass the chilly nights. That doesn’t mean you have to wrap up in a blanket each evening and binge iQiyi, however – there is plenty of culture to be had outside of your apartment this November, especially in that most dramatic of worlds: the theater!

Here are five upcoming shows hitting the stage this month:

Nov 12-17: Titanic: The Musical

For better or worse, nobody is drawn like one of your French girls in this three-time Tony Award-winning musical of Titanic. Instead, it delves into the stories you probably missed while distracted by the blossoming, condensation-drenched romance between Kate and Leo in the film version. A lack of nudity aside, the stage version will appease history buffs by demonstrating what exactly went wrong to cause the infamous "unsinkable" ship's demise. RMB 80-180. 7.30pm. Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center

Nov 14-16: The Hunchback of Notre Dame

The real Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris might still be a burnt-out ruin, but this stage adaptation of the Victor Hugo classic novel is most definitely still lit! Fans of the Disney film will find plenty of nostalgic thrill in the stage rendition of the show but be warned, it is rather much darker, and more adult-themed than the beloved animation. For example, making explicit the Hunchback's carnal desire for sexy gypsy girl Esmerelda. Saucy stuff. RMB 80-380. 7.30pm. Nine Theatre

Nov 22-23: Evita

The epic Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, Evita, follows the life of Argentinian political leader and first lady Eva Perón from her teenage years right up into her untimely passing in 1952. It is a story of rags-to-riches as well as love and politics, and if while reading this you're not already humming "Don't cry for me, Argentina!" then you've got a heart of stone. RMB 180-1,180. 7.30pm. Century Theatre

Nov 28-Dec 1: Chicago

A tale of crime, corruption, and fame, Chicago is undoubtedly the most stylish production here, rife with vaudeville performances, glitz, and jazz. Originally based on the stage play of the same name, the musical adaption enjoyed a long and successful run on Broadway before being adapted into the six-time Academy Award-winning film starring Renee Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones in 2003. Now, dim the lights and prepare to be entertained as the Windy City meets the Northern Capital as this production lands in Beijing. RMB 280-1,280. 7.30pm. 15 Erqi Juchang Lu, Xicheng

More of a cinephile? Catch the Festival of German Cinema or Feinaki Animation Week.

Images: 247tickets