Cao Yu, one of the founders of the Beijing People's Art Theater
and China's most famous playwright, died on December 13, 1996 aged
86.
Ten years later Poison, a drama written by Wan Fang,
Cao's daughter, will be staged in the Small Theater of Beijing
People's Art Theater from December 19 to January 21, 2007 in memory
of Cao Yu. Wan Fang's involvement in drama started in her childhood
when she witnessed the creation of her father's famous dramas. She
already has an established? reputation as a playwright for
Central Opera Theater. Her famous works included the film Black
Eyes, TV series Empty Mirror and other TV work and
movies.
"The seed of drama has been buried in my heart from my childhood
and I have never thought it would burgeon so late," Wan Fang said.
"To me there's a sequence: poem, drama, novel, film and TV works --
from difficult to easy. Poems need more genius and I have never
thought I could make it. But I really want to try something in
playwriting because of the family edification. Since the Beijing
People's Art Theater asked me to write a drama two years ago I had
been preparing for that. Writing a drama is difficult and that's
why it enchants me."
Poison will be played by young actors from the Beijing
People's Art Theater including Wu Shanshan, Zhang Zhizhong, Zou
Jian, Wang Leim and Wang Xinyu. Director Ren Ming says this drama,
a typical family psychodrama, has inherited the spirit of Cao Yu's
works.
"Cao Yu's outstanding works such as Thunderstorm and
Field are family dramas too," Ren noted.
Poison shows the irreconcilable differences between a
father, mother, son and daughter-in-law. The conflict between the
mother and daughter-in-law is one of the main themes of the play
and the contrast of the successful daughter-in-law and the ordinary
son's social roles reflects the miserable reality faced by
contemporary men.
Everyone who reads the play is left with a heavy heart. Many men
would like to be able to support their family and struggle during
this endeavor but in the end they are unable to. The cowardice of
men and how they escape from reality are truthfully depicted in
this drama.
The reason this play is called Poison is because the
playwright wants to show the great harm extreme emotions can
inflict on personal relationships.
Before the premiere of Poison four classic plays
written by Cao Yu have already performed at the Capital Theater:
Sunrise from November 29 to December 3;
Beijingers from December 1 to 5; The Wilderness
from December 6 to 10; and Thunderstorm from December 9 to
13. Thunderstorm also performed in Tokyo on December
3.
(China.org.cn by Chen Lin, December 13, 2006)
