A jellyfish bobs up and down, a school of fish flashes by and disappears into the darkness, and outside a porthole, an actor rises and falls, as if holding his breath while suspended in the deep sea.

These scenes come from Sino-French sci-fi fantasy production Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, adapted from the eponymous work of French literary giant Jules Verne, bringing to life its deep-sea adventures.

After being staged at the 53rd Hong Kong Arts Festival and as the opening production of the Festival Croisements 2025, the production made its Beijing premiere at the Beijing Performing Arts Center from July 11 to 20.