Eugene O'Neill's classic "Desire Under the Elm Tree," known as "America's First Great Tragedy," has influenced a number of Chinese playwrights such as Cao Yu. On September 24, the anniversary of Cao Yu's birth, the Cao Yu Theater on the first floor of the Beijing International Theater Center ushered in the premiere of the new version of "Thunderstorm" directed by Pu Cunxin and Tang Ye, starring Pu Cunxin, Gong Lijun and Bai Hui; at the same time, the opening work of the three-story Renyi Small Theater of Beijing International Drama Center, "Desire Under the Elm Tree", directed by Ren Ming, Jungle and starring Yu Mingjia and Zheng Yunlong, also made a new appearance.
In 2007, Beijing Renyi once put Eugene O'Neill's classic play "Desire Under the Elm Tree" on the stage of the "Renyi Small Theater" located on the south side of the Capital Theatre. Fourteen years later, the new "Renyi Small Theater" in the Beijing International Theater Center opened. In this "black box" theater with more than 200 seats, "Desire Under the Elm Tree" was once again chosen as the opening play, which not only continued the dramatic memory between renyi and the audience, but also represented that renyi used classics to create theaters, also used classics to cultivate actors, and pursued an artistic attitude of continuous innovation. Director Ren Ming and Jungle said: "After 14 years, our understanding of life and works will be different, so this creation is completely new. ”
"Desire Under the Elm Tree" revolves around the desires of human nature, telling the story of the love between the young son and the young stepmother who are determined to inherit the farm in the old Kebert farm, and the growth of desire and obsession is gradually out of control. Fierce contradictions and conflicts, complex character relationships, and profound human nature show make this work full of impact from content to form. On the stage, the sloping ground, the rough walls, and even the furniture with a sense of originality all show wildness and desire. The rhythm of the shocking music also creates a strong emotional atmosphere.
As director Ren Ming and Jungle said, "Good actors shine on stage." "The performance is undoubtedly the core of this stage presentation. Aibi, played by young actor Yu Mingjia, has distinct desires and strong emotions, and sometimes it is as warm as fire on the stage, and sometimes it is painful and moving. In her opinion, "Acting is actually acting logic, and each of my psychological bases is shown to the audience little by little, stringing together the dots and becoming a clear line." There are many sides of Aib in my heart, she faces Ibn as a man, there is a girl's side, a lover's side, a young woman's side, and a mother's side, her complex emotions, to be clearly displayed to the audience, the audience can understand her behavior. ”
The male protagonist Ibn of the play played by specially invited actor Zheng Yunlong not only has the fragility and sensitivity of the tragic character's heart, but also has a fierce explosive behavior full of dramatic tension, and between the ups and downs, you can see the actor's rich layer of character shaping. "I've been searching for Ibn's inner basis, what is behind his melancholy and repression. This is not the performance method of life drama, but also a lot of imagination. For example, his feelings for his mother have always been like faith, and with these inner emotions, he can explode in an instant. Zheng Yunlong said, "Only by self-investment can we impress the audience." ”
When rehearsing the play before, director Ren Ming once sighed: "I am really afraid that Zheng Yunlong will be angry one day and strangle Yu Mingjia on the stage." In the performance, Ibn, played by Zheng Yunlong, repeatedly grabbed the neck of Abi, played by Yu Mingjia, out of impulse; the two also fell or knelt heavily on the hard floor many times... Closely feel the actors' passionate performance, let the audience often exclaim, but also let people more strongly feel the tragic fate of the characters and the complexity and profundity of human nature.
In addition to the male and female protagonists, the father, Kable played by the actor Li Lin, also gives the role an intriguing and rich connotation. Young actors such as Luo Xi, Liu Yi, Zeng Yongdai, Wang Kun, Zhu Shaopeng, Li Xuege and so on also contributed energetic and passionate interpretations. The play will run until October 17. Among them, from September 24 to October 3, October 9, 10, 16 and 17, Yu Mingjia, Zheng Yunlong and Li Lin starred, and the rest of the scenes starred Zeng Yongyi, Liu Yi and Li Lin. The two groups of actors have different styles and characteristics, and I believe that they will bring different fresh experiences to the audience.
Source Beijing Daily Client | Reporter Wang Run, Fang Fei
Edited by Jin Liwei
Process Editor Wu Yue