The Inside No. 9 immersive theatre experience in China has expanded to Suzhou, the third city it has been performed in across China.
The latest city to get to watch the Inside No.9 Stage adaptation in China is Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. The show is being performed at the new Shishan Grand Theatre, part of a recently developed cultural park in the city’s new district.
Inside No.9’s stage adaptation or China was first conceived in 2021, when producers and brand managers for BBC met with representatives from Damai, one of China’s biggest online ticketing platforms and producers.
Two years later, in December 2023, the stage adaptation finally opened in Shanghai. The TV show had been re-imagined as an immersive show, with the small audience being surrounded by the performance.
With glowing reviews and a strong box office, the success of the Inside No. 9 adaptation in Shanghai meant an adaptation was released in Beijing too. There, adaptations of Season 8 Episode 2 Mother’s Ruin, and Season 4 Episode 3 Once Removed. Learning from the Shanghai’s adaptation, the Beijing performance included the exploration of suspense, an upgraded design of the stage, and the usage of sound and photoelectric technology.
Now, Suzhou residents have their chance to see the Chinese Inside. No 9 adaptation.
On social media, people who have seen the Suzhou adaptation have already started praising it. Of the two stories performed, the second ‘reverse narrative’ has been particularly praised for creating a unique sense of thrill and suspense. The localisation was also praised, with actors making Suzhou-specific jokes for the mainly local audience.
With dark humour and twisted plots, Inside No. 9 is a uniquely British show; however, it has quietly become a cultural phenomenon in China with massive streaming numbers and a popular theatrical adaptation.
On the Chinese streaming site BiliBili, as of 2024, the show had over 100 million views with the final series alone exceeding 20 million. On the Chinese rating site Douban, the final season scored a collective 9.2 and the entire series averaging over 9, highlighting how well viewed the show’s quality is in China.
Inside No. 9 was a black comedy anthology series that aired from 2014 to 2024 on BBC Two in the UK. Created by Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, the pair served both as writers and stars in the series. Each episode was unique and stands alone, with the only connector being the number 9.
If you like this article, why not read: BBC’s ‘Inside No. 9’ Stage Adaption Performed in Beijing
