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New year's plays about sweet love - and dark breakup
By Michelle Zhang |
January 9, 2009, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
AS usual, the stage is stuffed with comedies and love stories at this time of year. For a change, director Yang Xinwui also offers "Paper and Fire" about lovers who become enemies,
writes Michelle Zhang.
It's a tradition for Shanghai-based director Yang Xinwei to launch a hesui (celebrating the new year) play before the Chinese Lunar New Year.
This year, he offers two - a tragedy and a comedy.
"Most of my hesui plays were comedies," he says. "I believe the audience wants to see a diversity of plays. The two plays represent different sides of life - love and hate, tears and laughter, bright and darkness."
Yang's previous hesui productions, including "Bedding," "Romance in D," "Heaven, Left and Right," were well-received by audiences. He believes the more the plays are related to real life, the more popular they will be."
"The ordinary audience still prefers to see things that are easy to understand," he explains. "I hope my hesui plays can always warm people's hearts like a lamp in the cold winter days, leading them to look for true meaning in life."
Premiered this week, "Paper and Fire" is about the breakup of a young couple - how they turn from lovers to enemies - with a surprising ending.
"In the play the audience will find most of the vital elements of theater, such as hostility, aggression, tension and exaggeration," Yang says.
"Hire a Husband," by contrast, is a light comedy about a popular topic among young people, Internet blind dates.
A woman in her thirties is forced by her parents to bring a boyfriend home for the Chinese New Year. She turns to the Internet for help and "hires" a "fiance."
All goes according to plan until the fiance's real girlfriend shows up while the woman's old-time schoolmate, who has always been secretly in love with her, pays a sudden visit.
"Sweet love plays are always top choices in the holiday season," Yang explains. "I hope this one is no exception."
Meanwhile, two old box office-hits will be re-staged this month.
They are "The Balcony" starring Beijing-based comedian Chen Peisi, and "Lu Ding Ji" ("Deer and the Cauldron") one of local director He Nian's signature comedies adapted from legendary Chinese martial arts writer Louis Cha's namesake novel.
"Paper and Fire"
Date: through February 15, 7:30pm
Tickets: 100-150 yuan
"Hire a Husband"
Date: January 21-February 22, 7:30pm
Tickets: 100-150 yuan
"Lu Ding Ji"
Date: through February 1, 7:30pm
Tickets: 100-280 yuan
Venue: Shanghai Drama Arts Theater, 288 Anfu Rd
Tel: 6473-0123
"The Balcony"
Date: January 29-31, 7:15pm
Venue: Lyric Theater, Shanghai Grand Theater, 300 People's Ave
Tickets: 180-880 yuan
Tel: 6372-8702
writes Michelle Zhang.
It's a tradition for Shanghai-based director Yang Xinwei to launch a hesui (celebrating the new year) play before the Chinese Lunar New Year.
This year, he offers two - a tragedy and a comedy.
"Most of my hesui plays were comedies," he says. "I believe the audience wants to see a diversity of plays. The two plays represent different sides of life - love and hate, tears and laughter, bright and darkness."
Yang's previous hesui productions, including "Bedding," "Romance in D," "Heaven, Left and Right," were well-received by audiences. He believes the more the plays are related to real life, the more popular they will be."
"The ordinary audience still prefers to see things that are easy to understand," he explains. "I hope my hesui plays can always warm people's hearts like a lamp in the cold winter days, leading them to look for true meaning in life."
Premiered this week, "Paper and Fire" is about the breakup of a young couple - how they turn from lovers to enemies - with a surprising ending.
"In the play the audience will find most of the vital elements of theater, such as hostility, aggression, tension and exaggeration," Yang says.
"Hire a Husband," by contrast, is a light comedy about a popular topic among young people, Internet blind dates.
A woman in her thirties is forced by her parents to bring a boyfriend home for the Chinese New Year. She turns to the Internet for help and "hires" a "fiance."
All goes according to plan until the fiance's real girlfriend shows up while the woman's old-time schoolmate, who has always been secretly in love with her, pays a sudden visit.
"Sweet love plays are always top choices in the holiday season," Yang explains. "I hope this one is no exception."
Meanwhile, two old box office-hits will be re-staged this month.
They are "The Balcony" starring Beijing-based comedian Chen Peisi, and "Lu Ding Ji" ("Deer and the Cauldron") one of local director He Nian's signature comedies adapted from legendary Chinese martial arts writer Louis Cha's namesake novel.
"Paper and Fire"
Date: through February 15, 7:30pm
Tickets: 100-150 yuan
"Hire a Husband"
Date: January 21-February 22, 7:30pm
Tickets: 100-150 yuan
"Lu Ding Ji"
Date: through February 1, 7:30pm
Tickets: 100-280 yuan
Venue: Shanghai Drama Arts Theater, 288 Anfu Rd
Tel: 6473-0123
"The Balcony"
Date: January 29-31, 7:15pm
Venue: Lyric Theater, Shanghai Grand Theater, 300 People's Ave
Tickets: 180-880 yuan
Tel: 6372-8702
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