Showcasing national spirit on the stage of drama
2024-11-20
As an imported product, drama has undergone profound exploration and transformation of nationalization in the 72 year development process of Beijing People's Art Theatre. Under the guidance of literary giants such as Guo Moruo, Lao She, and Cao Yu, as well as the performances of artists such as Jiao Juyin, Lin Zhaohua, So Zhi, Zheng Rong, and Lan Tianye, Beijing People's Art continuously draws inspiration and materials from the lives of the people, gradually forming a unique "Beijing People's Art Drama School" with profound spiritual heritage. Classic plays such as "Teahouse," "Thunderstorm," and "Sunrise" have been performed for a long time and are still deeply loved by audiences today. A script is the foundation of a play Beijing People's Art Theatre has an inseparable friendship with three literary giants, Guo Moruo, Lao She, and Cao Yu, and was once known as the "Guo Lao Cao" Theatre. The works created by Mr. Cao Yu, the former dean, such as "Thunderstorm" and "Sunrise", shine with the light of humanity; Mr. Lao She and Mr. Guo Moruo created plays such as "Teahouse" and "Cai Wenji" specifically for the Beijing People's Art Theatre. They established a monument for the future artistic creation of the Beijing People's Art Theatre and became the founders of its style. The Chinese stories they created were brought to the stage through the second creation of Beijing People's Art Theatre. On the basis of delving into life and experiencing life, they integrated distinct ethnic characteristics, combined with the unique Beijing style, and continuously inherited and developed their unique charm through decades of inheritance, polishing them into Beijing People's Art Theatre's home drama. At the same time, they created a group of artists who are both virtuous and artistic, leading the aesthetic of generations of audiences. Guo Moruo, Lao She, and Cao Yu laid the literary foundation for the performance style of Beijing People's Art Theatre. In August 1956, Lao She brought a preliminary draft of a script praising the people as masters of the country to Beijing People's Art Theatre. The script starts from the Hundred Days' Reform and continues until the establishment of the People's Republic of China, with the main storyline being the story of Qin Zhongyi, who advocated industrial salvation. At that time, the former dean Cao Yu, the chief director Jiao Juyin, and others unanimously believed that the play depicting a tea house in the late Qing Dynasty in the first act was very vivid and exciting. They suggested that it be developed into a play that reflects the changes in society and the times through the evolution of tea houses. Lao She gladly accepted the suggestion and made revisions, giving birth to the script of "Teahouse". The characters in "Teahouse" are numerous and span three different eras, providing ample space for the creators to express themselves, but at the same time, it also brings huge challenges to secondary creation. For example, Lao She's initial script did not include the character of "Da Sha Yang". The script is divided into three acts, with intervals of 20-30 years between each act. How to enable the audience to quickly adapt to this changing era and better understand the plot has become a challenge. If using off screen commentary, it will disrupt the overall style of the play; If introduced through the mouths of characters, it will also damage Lao She's exquisite language. Jiao Juyin led the lords and creators to brainstorm and ultimately decided to add a "Shulai Bao" character during the intermission. This inspiration came from "musicians" and "storytellers". Following this idea, Lao She quickly created the character "Da Sha Yang" and three fast-paced stage lyrics. "Da Sha Yang" served as both a announcer and a character in the play, and his performance cleverly connected the plot of the three acts. How do characters come to life on stage? Adhering to the artistic principle of "starting from life, starting from characters", actors "go to life" and conduct in-depth observations of their characters. The actor who played Wang Lifa believes that details in life can help the actor gain valuable self-cultivation for the role. In 1958, the premiere of "Teahouse" received a good response; In 1980, "Teahouse" went to Germany, France, and Switzerland for performances, winning warm welcome from foreign audiences and achieving the first "sea going" of Chinese drama, known as the "miracle on the Eastern stage". Nowadays, "Teahouse" has been performed for more than 60 years, with a total of over 700 performances, and each performance has become a cultural event in Beijing. Looking back at the birth process of 'Teahouse', it can be said that it is the result of the joint nurturing of Lao She and Beijing People's Art Theatre. Lao She constantly received inspiration and encouragement from Beijing People's Art Theatre artists during his creative process. He was skilled in portraying characters, with humorous language and sharp insights, which laid a solid foundation for "Teahouse". Director Jiao Juyin, with his unique insights and aesthetics in theatrical art, led a group of creators to create many classic scenes at the textbook level for "Teahouse", endowing the play with fresh blood and flesh, and injecting vitality and spirit into it. He incorporated traditional opera techniques into his realistic directorial style, making "Teahouse" more ethnic and poetic in rhythm. The theatrical style of Beijing People's Art Theatre is fully demonstrated in "Teahouse", and this style has become a banner of Chinese theatrical art. Although "Teahouse" has also been adapted or performed into various art forms by other drama societies, the cup of "tea" brewed by Beijing People's Art Theatre, after time of brewing, has a rich aroma and a long-lasting aftertaste, which is always unforgettable. Therefore, the "relay baton" of old artists such as Zheng Rong, Lan Tianye, etc. has been passed down and passed down from generation to generation through the Beijing People's Art Theatre. From 1958 to 1992, director Jiao Juyin, along with leading actors such as Yu Shizhi, Zheng Rong, and Lan Tianye, propelled "Teahouse" to the pinnacle of theatrical art. In 1992, on the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Beijing People's Art Theatre, the first generation of "teahouse people" announced their farewell. They bowed to the audience on stage to express their gratitude, and the audience raised banners of "opera soul and national quintessence" to pay tribute to them. Teahouse "carries the emotional memory of a generation, making all viewers who love it deeply reluctant to part with it. In the 1990s, with the rise of popular culture such as film and television dramas, the art of drama "cooled down", and the Beijing People's Art Theatre also faced the test of the transition from old to new. After the first generation of "Teahouse People" retire, who will take over the role of "Teahouse"? Will the audience still buy it These issues have become the focus of attention in the industry. At this critical moment, director Lin Zhaohua led a new generation of actors including Liang Guanhua, Wu Gang, Pu Cunxin, Feng Yuanzheng, He Bing, Yang Lixin, and others to hold the baton of "Teahouse". Faced with the artistic treasures left by his predecessors, Lin Zhaohua has prepared multiple rehearsal plans, and young actors are also under tremendous pressure. Feng Yuanzheng recalled that when he received a notification from the theater to perform in "Teahouse", he was under a lot of pressure and even wanted to refuse, "but our generation has an unshirkable responsibility on their shoulders. In 1999, "Teahouse," starring a new generation of actors, faced heavy pressure and met the audience at the turn of the century. Since 1999, "Teahouse" has gone through more than 20 years of ups and downs. With the replacement of the second generation of actors, the stage designers behind the scenes have also completed intergenerational inheritance. Whether on stage or behind the scenes, the second generation of "teahouse people" uphold the belief of their predecessors that "the play is bigger than the sky". After years of stage polishing, they not only inherited "Teahouse", but also performed their own personal characteristics. Nowadays, every time Beijing People's Art Theatre's "Teahouse" is performed, it is difficult to get a ticket. Their efforts and dedication have been recognized and successful. Equally popular as' Teahouse 'is' Thunderstorm'. In 1934, Cao Yu's play "Thunderstorm" was published, which shocked the theater industry. In 1954, Beijing People's Art Theatre staged "Thunderstorm" directed by Xia Chun, which received widespread praise. Since then, older generation artists such as Su Min, Zheng Rong, and Zhu Lin have appeared in this version of "Thunderstorm". Zheng Rong, who played Chang Siye in "Teahouse", played Zhou Puyuan in "Thunderstorm" back then. Zheng Rong's understanding and creation of characters have undergone a long process of change. In the 1950s and 1960s, I wanted to highlight who the culprits of 'Thunderstorm' were, consciously making the characters' attitudes tough, showing a cold and ruthless recognition of Shi Ping, and showing no father son relationship with Lu Dahai, resulting in a conceptualization of the performance. Through continuous communication with the audience and a deep understanding of life, Zheng Rong gained a new understanding of Zhou Puyuan: 'In the play of' recognition ', since it is acknowledged that Zhou Puyuan's love for Shi Ping was sincere when he was young, why must they meet again as if they were facing a great enemy?' On the basis of originally portraying Zhou Puyuan's' evil 'side, he added Zhou Puyuan as an' ordinary 'character. On the human side, a more full and vivid "Zhou Puyuan" was born. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Beijing People's Art Theatre's performance of "Thunderstorm". Over the past 70 years, "Thunderstorm" has been continuously presented to the audience through self-examination, interpretation, and adjustment by Beijing People's Art Theatre artists. Thunderstorm has also undergone inheritance. In 1989, "Thunderstorm" ushered in a transition between new and old actors, with Gu Wei playing Zhou Puyuan, Pu Cunxin, and Wu Gang, who had just graduated from the Beijing People's Art Academy for two years, playing Zhou Ping. Gong Lijun, who was still studying at the Central Academy of Drama, played Fan Yi. Since 1997, Gu Wei has taken over the responsibility of directing. In 2004, the production team once again completed the inheritance handover. Yang Lixin played Zhou Puyuan, Wang Ban played Zhou Ping, and Gong Lijun continued to play Fan Yi in "Thunderstorm". Young actors born in the 1980s began to join, and old artists exchanged performance experience with new actors face-to-face. This year, Beijing People's Art Theatre celebrates its 72nd anniversary, and Pu Cunxin, who played the role of "young master" in "Thunderstorm", has already been promoted to the role of "master". Pu Cunxin not only directed the new version of "Thunderstorm" and played Zhou Puyuan, but also invited the former "Four Phoenixes" Bai Hui to play the new version of Fan Yi, while Gong Lijun, who has played Fan Yi for more than 30 years, became "Shi Ping". Classic works shine with different styles in every era, and today they are even more vibrant. Classics are not static. In every era of drama, there are new ways of writing, and classic works need to be constantly polished in order for their charm to shine through the times. In the history of Beijing People's Art Theatre, "Sunrise" is rehearsed almost every 20 years. Through continuous performance practice, creators constantly capture the characteristics of the times, explore bridges for communication with contemporary audiences, and make each version of "Sunrise" timeless. Mr. Cao Yu's "Sunrise" was created in the 1930s. In 1956, the Capital Theater was completed and officially handed over to the Beijing People's Art Theatre for use. Its opening performance was "Sunrise" directed by Ouyang Shanzun, which was also the first edition of "Sunrise" by the Beijing People's Art Theatre. In 1981, the Beijing People's Art Theatre rehearsed "Sunrise" with a brand new lineup. Director Diao Guangtan emphasized the three key scenes of Chen Bailu and made innovative attempts in the stage setting. In the 21st century, director Ren Ming released two versions of "Sunrise" in 2000 and 2010 respectively. The 2000 version of "Sunrise" cleverly incorporates modern elements such as mobile phones, computers, horses, pop music, and fashionable clothing into the stage. Ren Ming believes that the characters in "Sunrise" are all microcosms of social roles, such as bosses, restaurant waiters, workers, etc., which exist in any era. Times change, clothing and language habits may change, but the essence of human nature remains the same. He hopes that the audience can better resonate with the play through contemporary elements. In 2010, to commemorate the centenary of Mr. Cao Yu's birth, Ren Ming rehearsed "Sunrise" once again. This time, he remained more faithful to the original work, adapting the theme, stage setting, character costumes, music, and other aspects of the play to the era of the original work, maximizing the inheritance and development of Mr. Cao Yu's creative spirit. In 2021, the new version of "Sunrise" directed by Feng Yuanzheng rose steadily in the new theater of Beijing People's Art Theatre - Beijing International Theater Center · Cao Yu Theater
Edit：Momo Responsible editor：Chen Zhaozhao
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