Magic City Strolls | A Few Ways to Unwind in the City
As the most “involution-plagued” generation, our go-to stress relievers are nothing more than drinking, eating, clubbing, and gaming.
A close friend once told her husband, “I’m so unhappy today!”
He replied, “Let’s go clubbing tonight! You’ll feel better after a good dance!”
Straightforward, but sure enough, she felt great afterwards.
We summed it up: “Dancing like crazy is such primal joy—no wonder African people always look so happy.”
It was a joke, but it’s true that we get upset all too easily. Especially as the year-end approaches, an entire year’s worth of stress seems to pile up, and occasionally we need to do something totally mindless to give our constantly tense brains a break.
Today’s post shares three de-stressing experiences I’ve tried recently, hoping to give you some weekend inspiration and add a little happiness to your busy life!
Immersive Dreamlike Theatre:
Mahua FunAge’s “Lane 1992”
Mahua FunAge is pretty much a guarantee of quality comedy, but what I’m recommending here isn’t just a simple play! In a nutshell, it’s a murder mystery mixed with a comedy show, a bit like Sleep No More.
The performance takes place in the trendy new mall, 北外滩来福士, inside the 城市市集. The moment you step in and hear the Libao Beer jingle “The Reason I Love Shanghai,” you feel like you’re being transported back 20 years.
The retro shop signs, old-school TVs, washing machines, and the grandma figure selling gardenia flowers on the street corner… it’s as if you’re back in the days of lounging in the alleyway waving a palm-leaf fan. These long-lost objects carry memories for several generations.
Who didn’t spend their childhood visiting the corner shop, or striving for a red pennant of merit? Do you still recognise these little snacks?
Once upon a time, you’d often see elderly ladies making fresh gardenia (in Shanghainese, 白兰花) bracelets by the roadside. Buy one, and the scent would last for days. In this theatre, that grandma figure startled me a few times—she’s so lifelike.
I even spotted a “Greater Bay Area brother” and some childhood sticker posters I used to collect.
The trendy venue adds a lot to the whole performance, and precisely because it’s set here, the show runs from 10:30pm to 1:30am. When I first saw the timing, I was surprised—it’s definitely not friendly to early birds. But in the end, I’d say the occasional late night is worth it. I was wide awake the whole time—I can hardly believe I lasted that long—and I was still buzzing after, discussing the ending with my companions.
A head-up: many areas in this 城市市集 are closed off during the day, but they open for the first time after the market shuts at night. I suggest arriving early to eat and take photos, because you’ll be there pretty late.
Set in 1992 old Shanghai, the story goes that a “red-clad vampire” is haunting 福安里 alley. Every audience member is divided into 12 groups, each following one of 12 professional Mahua FunAge NPC actors to gather evidence and uncover the truth. Each time the bell rings, everyone meets in the open-air plaza to piece together clues and find out who the “vampire” is.
The whole show is very friendly to murder mystery / escape room newbies. The “vampire hunt” doesn’t involve any horror elements, and no one jumps out to scare you. A dedicated actor guides you through the whole experience—just follow along, and you’ll be fine even if you slack off a bit. The interactivity is excellent; every actor is great at improvising, with 100% quick-wittedness!
The group I followed was led by Tingting, a garment factory worker. She took our workshop team to play games—kick shuttlecock, toss beanbags, solve riddles—to earn 白兰 coins. These coins unlock a memory piece (performed live) between Tingting and another actor, which helps you crack the case.
The story has a final twist, warm yet tinged with a bit of melancholy—I won’t spoil it. Life is full of disappointment, and beautiful memories often have to stay tucked away in our hearts. Dreams always end; if you knew it was a dream, would you still want to go back and revisit the past?
“Lane 1992”
Time: Runs until March next year, daily 10:30pm – 1:30am
Address: 上海北外滩来福士广场 B1 城市市集 (called 福安里 at night). Tell the security guard you’re here for Mahua FunAge, and they’ll guide you into the closed mall.
Ticket prices: Standard character 499 RMB, deep experience character 549 RMB. The difference is that deep experience includes costume changes and a bit more actor interaction and attention; I think the 499 RMB ticket is enough for most people.
Take an Acting Class:
Lai Shengchuan’s Creative Theatre Workshop
An acting class is de-stressing because you’re wholly absorbed in it, body and soul.
I think a huge source of stress for all of us is the non-stop stream of messages on our phones—from DingTalk, WeChat, or those real-time data dashboards. This nearly three-hour workshop insists you put your phone completely away, focus on yourself, and focus on the here and now. I found it very relaxing.
The first part guides you to adjust your breathing, clear your mind, settle down, and go from sensing yourself to sensing your surroundings, gradually extending outward into the farthest reaches of the universe and back. The whole process felt a lot like meditation or Zen practice. If you’ve never done anything similar before, it might feel a bit strange at first, but following the teacher’s instructions and staying focused was really comfortable. When this phase ended, I thought only ten minutes had passed—turns out it was a full forty minutes.
The second part involves walking around the classroom: alone, in groups, with and without rules, feeling the space and the others. I felt this stage was about harmonising everyone’s energy and rhythm.
The third part begins to build trust and tacit understanding. Through a series of interactions, constantly swapping partners, you shorten the emotional distance between people and increase mutual trust. Finally, you move into story and scene improvisation, and the whole segment was filled with peals of laughter.
Mirroring exercises building trust.
Our instructor, Chen Guohui, who happens to appear in “Like It Was,” started by telling us to drop logic, shed labels, and observe the world. The whole experience felt quite special—lighthearted, de-stressing, emotionally releasing. By opening up, giving yourself wholeheartedly to the moment and to others, and trying out some fresh behaviors, it’s perfect for stressed-out city people to enjoy. Temporarily cast aside all work and worries! I even started thinking about signing up for the full course. After all, exploring the unknown is like extending your life!
上剧堂·Lai Shengchuan’s Creative Theatre Workshop
Address: 肇嘉浜路1111号 美罗城 5F, 上剧场, go up to the 2nd floor
How to register: The menu bar of 上剧场’s WeChat official account under “Adult Theatre Workshop”; children’s courses are also available.
Offline Laughs: 贰叁叁 Talk Show
Here’s my favourite comedian of the whole show: Liang Yanzeng
Someone might ask: what’s the difference between watching talk shows online and offline? Why go offline?
The analogy might not be perfect, but you can think of it as the difference between watching a film and watching a play. Whether the performer is good, whether the emotion comes through—everyone present can feel it, and the audience’s response directly influences those on stage.
Offline talk show topics are also more uncensored, you could say they’re totally unbridled, and they especially love poking fun at life’s sore spots. All the helplessness, setbacks, bitterness, joys, and sorrows you’ve experienced—someone always acts them out in a funnier way, helping you dissolve them and strike back at life.
Some say talk shows are “the art of self-deprecation and playful offence.” As the show began, the host of 贰叁叁 asked, “How many of you are here to watch 贰叁叁 because you couldn’t get tickets for Xiaoguo?” Nearly the whole room raised their hands. I admit, I was one of them.
The whole talk show lasts about 1.5 hours, featuring four comedians who take turns. The atmosphere was great, full of laugh-out-loud moments, and the room kept erupting in laughter. If you enjoy audience interaction, grab a middle seat in the front row (arrive at least half an hour early); the comedians will frequently pick on you and engage. By the end of the show, every single one of us knew there was an Hermès reseller in the front row, and another person selling anti-hair-loss shampoo online. I wonder if they found their target audience that night?
贰叁叁 Talk Show
There are many sessions—open mics and specials. Tickets are available on their WeChat account and the 走起 platform. Check if your favourite comedian is on the line-up; on the comedian signature wall at the entrance, I spotted Xiaojia from “Rock & Roast 4.”
That’s all for today’s sharing! If you have other ways to de-stress, feel free to share them in the comments!
Some photos are by KarenChen,
and official sources from Mahua FunAge / 上剧场 / 贰叁叁 Talk Show
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