Child's play

Paintings and sculptures by four artists, named 2009 Martell Artists of the Year, are on display at the Beijing Today Art Museum.

Zeng Fanzhi is an abstract painter known for his introspective works; Gu Wenda, an avant-garde installation artist whose works deal with the subject of human interactions; Jiang Jie, a sculptor whose best known creations - babies - are an attempt to understand the true meaning of life; and Solve Sundsbo, an innovative contemporary photographer known for his bizarre manipulations of images.

The Martell Artists of the Year was started in 2004 and so far 21 prominent artists working with a variety of mediums, including painting, sculpture and photography, have been recognized.

9 am-5 pm, July 8

Today Art Museum, 32, Baiziwan Lu, Chaoyang district

Only-daughter syndrome

Nine young female students of the Medical College of the CAPF (Chinese People's Armed Police Force), speaking different dialects and with different temperaments, share one thing in common - they are all from one-child families. They are the only daughters - pampered, stubborn and willful.

These are the characters of the comedy The Only Daughter-Doting which plays from July 2 to 5 at Haidian Theater.

Its scriptwriter Wang Baoshe, who interviewed more than 200 students from the college, says. "Children born to one-child families are the backbone of modern Chinese society. We wanted to capture the characteristics of a generation that has experienced the many changes in society and has had vast exposure to the outside world," he says.

Jiang Xiaohan, a TV host, plays Dou Dou, a girl who loses her temper easily. Jiang, 27, who was also a well-known child star, is herself the product of a one-child family and says she connects with the character she plays. Mai Hongmei, a stage actress, plays Jiao Jiao, the spoilt daughter of a wealthy family. She is finicky but willing to help her classmates.

This first all-female comedy will be shown during the summer holiday season.

7:30 pm, July 2-5. Haidian Theater, 28 Zhongguancun Dajie, Haidian district. 400-810-3721

Hidden dangers

The play Beware of Bear offers an insightful look at the dangers lurking in human relationships.

The story revolves around a happy family, struck by a series of unfortunate events after the father dies. Everyone in the family wants a share of the father's fortune.

The oldest sister fights with one of the brothers for the biggest share. However, an adopted son who also happens to be the lawyer, tries to squeeze his own mileage out of the rift. The youngest son, who is mentally unfit, can barely survive all this fighting.

The play is anchored by newcomers to the city theater scene and is aimed at showing the increasing materialism in society.

7:30 pm, July 2-19, TNT Theater, Xiaozhuang Lu, Chaoyang district. 400-810-3721, 6417-0058, 6417-0068

Editor:Wang Nan