Modern Express News (reporter Li Ming) Affected by the epidemic, the offline performances of major theaters in Nanjing have been cancelled or suspended. On the evening of August 26, the fourth phase of the 2021 Nanjing Theater Festival "High-five with Drama and Life - Desk Reading Session" was held online. Liu Xiaoye, a chinese pioneer drama comedian and famous drama actor, shared Meng Jinghui's classic drama work "Egg" starring him, which made netizens feel that "the dramatic effect is full"!
△ Liu Xiaoye
As a theatrical actor who has been active on the theatrical stage for more than 20 years and has performed more than 6,000 plays, Liu Xiaoye is known as "a stage veteran who makes a living from drama". He has performed well in plays such as "Opinions on the Life of Two Dogs", "Hitler's Belly", "Bastard Carnival", "Amber", "Rhinoceros in Love", "Don Quixote" and so on. Liu Xiaoye played the grotesque professor Persikov in "Egg".
△ Stills from "Egg"
"Egg" is adapted from the novel by Russian writer Mi Bulgakov. The play tells an absurd story in which the zoologist Professor Persikov discovers a peculiar "light of life" capable of increasing the rate of reproduction of living things, while a rare chicken plague is rampant in Moscow. The farm wants to use the professor's light source separator to illuminate the eggs, hoping to hatch healthy chicks to turn things around, but strange creatures break out of their shells...
In the play, director Meng Jinghui magnifies the characteristics of black mysticism in Bulgakov's works, so that the rich magic realism color is integrated into a grotesque atmosphere, blending reality, fantasy, irony and even more elements without being abrupt.
Absurdity is the biggest feature of this play. At the desk reading meeting, Liu Xiaoye shared some interesting things about the performance. "Steamed lamb, steamed bear paw, steamed deer tail... In the play, the names of more than a hundred scientists must be memorized, and if you can't remember it, you will insert a dish name and make up a story to show the professor's nonsense and absurdity. "When preparing for the role, Liu Xiaoye said that the repertoire and role types are different, and the preparation is different." Usually, when rehearsing, I will find the attitude of the character. Like the professor in "Egg", I couldn't find it at first, and then I found that playing him as a villain met the requirements of the script. If it is a real person, when acting, it will find his action and purpose. ”
Is there a chance to see this play played out in theater again? For the audience's concern about this issue, Liu Xiaoye said that "Eggs" will be rearranged later, but the content will be changed.
(Courtesy of Nanjing Poly Grand Theater)