An extraordinary drama is on the stage in Beijing. At eight hours long, the play A Dream Like a Dream is not for the feint of heart. But its daunting length is not the only challenge. The show also surrounds the audience, setting the tone for an intimate, and engaging experience.

More than 100 characters, 2,000 props and costumes, and a 360 degree stage: it all adds up to an 8-hour whirlwind of a drama experiment. The innovative arrangement of the seats brings the performers up close to the audience. Every movement, every expression, and even the slightest mistake, can easily be seen.

"Basically I need to change my costumes at every scene and switch between different roles. Compared with other plays, this one demands more focus from a performer. I think to bring out all the performances on this circular stage, one needs to be fully dedicated," said Xu Qing, an actress in the show.

An intricate puzzle involving three different stories takes us on a journey from Taipei to Paris and then to Shanghai. The voyage layers the past and present, reality and fantasy, memories and regrets.

"It's really a big and vast work...move into the lives of other people," said Stan Lai, the director of the show.

In addition to its close-knit but multi-faceted plot, certain dramatic devices help keep the audience hooked.

For instance, the play pauses for breaks right at the most climactic parts of the story. And each interval is fully used to create ever more expectation, teasing the audience right up to the end, and beyond.

"A lot people writers that the play just ticks with them, the whole night and the next day," Lai said.

The play hints that people are more connected than they realize, as violence done to one person mysteriously affects others.

A Dream Like A Dream will be staged several more times in Beijing, before heading to other mainland cities. It is also planning appearances in Singapore.

(CNTV.cn April 11, 2013)