Chinese modern drama's fabulous first century has left a legacy
of a wonderful rich heritage. However, a question remains about how
to build a Chinese school of modern drama, which can stand proud
and tall on the world stage.
According toLi Liuyi, director with Beijing People's Art
Theater, this challenge is to adhere to local culture and learn
from Chinese operas, which have much longer traditions in China.
Li, who used to be a researcher of traditional Chinese operas, has
always tried to fuse elements of Chinese operas into his works.
"The most important thing that I learned from traditional Chinese
operas is that nothing is impossible on the stage," Li said.
"Chinese arts are characterized with highly free expression in
limited space, whether in painting, calligraphy or operas."
This is most recently displayed in Li's latest work Lost
Village, which features constant changes between realistic and
unrealistic scenes, regardless of the styles and plot.
However, Li believes learning from Chinese operas is not enough;
a good play is made up of both art and ideas.
A Chinese director should speak through his cultural identity,
and his play should also express thoughts that are relevant to the
world and current time, he said.
"I have been trying to express world themes with Chinese art
forms," he said. "If we still express the same old thoughts of
traditional operas, our works will become antiques."
Li's fusion of traditional Chinese opera techniques and
contemporary thoughts has won him international acclaim, and his
productions have been invited to appear at many festivals around
the world.
In June, Li's version of renowned playwright Cao Yu's (1910-96)
Peking Man will be staged at the 2007 Singapore Arts
Festival.
In Li's version, the original text remains unchanged. However, a
few lines were cut to make the play shorter. Through different
theatrical techniques he tries to focus more on people. "Previous
versions of the play used to focus on the decline of the feudal
society, but we ought to pay more attention to people themselves,"
he said.
"I believe that all Chinese theater workers should pay more
attention to people."
Zhao Youliang, president of National Theater Company of China,
defines the style of National Theater Company as "no style."
"What I mean is that our company is not limited to one style,"
he said. "We produce works of many styles, and we try to produce
good works in every style."
Zhao's comments ring true if one examines the company's recent
productions: Cao Qijing's realistic work Red Dust; Meng
Jinghui's multi-media music theater An Exotic Encounter
and Wang Xiaoying's Blind City, which was adapted from
1998 Nobel-Prize-winner Jose Saramago's Blindness.
?
Actually, these three plays can be seen as representing the
orientations of the National Theater Company.
Zhao said the company's three main orientations include
realistic works about people's lives, innovative works that
represent new theater trends and international theater
productions.
"Generally speaking, the National Theater Company is trying to
produce the best Chinese theater works and to bring Chinese theater
more in line with world theater," he said.
The National Theater Company was founded in 2001 and was the
result of the merger between the Central Experimental Theater and
China Youth Art Theater.
In 2007, the National Theater Company will continue its yearly
plan of staging between 10 to 12 plays, including up to five new
plays. Three plays are scheduled to tour overseas. Lost
Village will play in Japan in May, Toilet in Israel
in August and The Flower in the Mirror, The Moon on
the Water in Mexico in October.
"Chinese theater has great software but needs better hardware,"
Zhao said. "I mean, we have very good directors and actors but need
better conditions, such as better quality venues for
performances."
The National Theater Company only has a medium-sized theater and
is planning to build a bigger theater of its own by 2008. Talking
about the future system of Chinese theater, Zhao said that China
can refer to Western experiences.
"As Chinese society goes through transitions, the system of
theater will also change," he said. "Maybe in the future we will
establish an actors' union as in the West, but the government
should also keep supporting the development of theater."
Without Yuan Hong, one of the first independent theater
producers in China, many important works in contemporary Chinese
theater wouldn't have been born. Yuan's career began when he staged
his own play Silent Thunderstorm in 1993. At that time,
independent theater works were rare in China. Apart from writing
and directing the play, he had to do everything by himself, from
applying for support to negotiating prices with venues.
"I felt that it was so difficult for independent theater workers
to put on their own plays," Yuan said.
"To create a better environment, there had to be some
independent producers who work behind the scenes."
Since then, he became such a person, and so far, he has produced
nearly 100 plays.
"In China, State-run companies have great resources, but
independent theater workers have to depend on themselves," he said.
"At the same time, we are more adaptable than State-run companies
in terms of producing and promoting plays."
Yuan adopted many ways to promote plays, such as organizing
supporter clubs and seminars, and selling merchandise. With his
help, a few smaller productions have now become very popular and
sponsors are today confident to support other works.
In 2001, to create more opportunities for independent-theater
workers, Yuan began to run the North Theater, which became a hub
for small-production plays in Beijing. In the same year, Yuan also
helped to initiate the College Students' Theater Festival, which
has become an annual showcase for theater enthusiasts.
However, in 2005, the North Theater closed down because of the
lack of funding, even after Yuan sold his own apartment to
subsidize the theatre.
As the College Students' Theater Festival expands, Yuan also
quit his work as an organizer, but said he would not stop working
in the field of theatre, for it is his lifelong career.
"Now, many Chinese cities have their festivals, but the
development of theater needs more than festivals," he said. "Life
is made up of common days, not just festivals."
Talking about the centennial anniversary of Chinese drama, Yuan
said it was more important to do substantial work than to hold
costly commemorative events.
His upcoming plans include a series of National Theater
Company's drama performances at Peking University, tour
performances of the popular independent play Celestial Human
World and a new play about homeless children called
Orphans in the Beautiful World.
Yuan is also in charge of the Secret Love in Peach Blossom
Land Youth Drama Fund, which is made up of one-yuan donations
from each ticket of Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land
sold.
The fund, which now has raised nearly 300,000 yuan (US$38,500),
is used to support young theater workers and get their projects off
the ground.
"Though we can't provide much support in terms of money, we can
use our experience and connections to work out affordable plans for
productions of small budgets," Yuan said.
"While commercial plays can live on their own, there are other
theater works that need support."
(China Daily April 21, 2007)
