He Saifei as Shi Ping
Liu Kaiwei as Zhou Ping
Stills from "After the Thunderstorm"
Theme: From Cao Yu to Wanfang, Chinese drama spans a century of humanistic dialogue
——Sharing of the stage drama "Thunderstorm" and "After thunderstorm"
When: August 24, 2021 at 2:30 p.m
Venue: Shanghai Grand Theatre
Moderator: Xiaolu
A living room, what, how many years, how many generations
Love and hate are reflected
Moderator: Last year was the 110th anniversary of Mr. Cao Yu's birth, and Yanghua Poly jointly launched Mr. Cao Yu's "Thunderstorm" and Ms. Wan Fang's "Thunderstorm After". As the 2021 "Shanghai Grand Theatre × Yanghua Drama Season" is about to kick off, what we will launch today at the Shanghai Grand Theatre will be a dialogue of special significance – this is not only a deep dialogue between a father and daughter, but also a cross-era dialogue between two generations of playwrights, and a dialogue of Chinese drama for a hundred years.
First of all, I asked Teacher Zhu Guang to introduce the Yanghua version of "Thunderstorm" and "After Thunderstorm".
Zhu Guang (famous literary and art critic, editor-in-chief of the Cultural and Sports Center of Xinmin Evening News): As an audience member who has seen the premiere of the Yanghua drama version of "Thunderstorm" and "Thunderstorm After", I would like to talk about my feelings. Before talking about feelings, I will briefly talk about the history and present of "Thunderstorm", which will help you understand why Yanghua has such a version.
In 1907, Chun Liu She staged "Black Slave Calling Heavenly Record" (the original "Uncle Tom's Cabin") in Tokyo, announcing the birth of Chinese drama. But in fact Chinese the term "drama" did not appear until after 1928, before which it was a civilized drama. "Civilized drama" is a concept relative to "opera". You can go to see Jiang Wen's movie "One Step Away", in which Wang Zhiwen plays a "civilized drama". Civilization drama is very lively, very immature compared to the drama we have now in concept - the audience can do whatever they want to see, such as putting a large swimming pool on the stage with a python in it, and the male protagonist fighting with it in the water. Civilization drama is that style, more lifelike, but they do not pay attention to the structure of the drama.
After the "May Fourth" west wind gradually east, everyone feels that opera seems to be a bit backward, from Tokyo came the style of "Black Slave Wu Tianlu" in Japan called new drama, we should develop in this direction. In aristotle's day, the Latin word for "drama" was to do something, the English word to do something, an action that would occur in the future. This action will definitely affect, change, and advance, and completely change the direction of the storyline. In 1928, the forerunners were at a meeting to discuss how we could translate the word into Chinese. Traditional Chinese opera uses song and dance to perform stories, and it is relatively less said. The new style of drama basically finishes telling the story in the way of talking, and the word "drama" is chosen.
Why is It said that Mr. Cao Yu's "Thunderstorm" is a mature work of Chinese drama? It is marked by the "Trinity"—the development of the same event at the same time, in the same place. "Thunderstorm" is a living room, what things, how many years, generations, love and hate are reflected. Now many people need to cross to solve problems, in fact, good drama is one or two time and space, but the stories of several generations and the excavation of human nature are clear and vivid.
Watch Yanghua's version of "Thunderstorm" and "After Thunderstorm"
Instantly feel what is "classic"
Zhu Guang: Everyone's previous definition and understanding of "Thunderstorm" may stop at the analysis of social attributes, such as Zhou Puyuan is a capitalist, Lu Dahai is a working class, and Xuan Yi is a woman oppressed by feudal society. I've seen many versions of Thunderstorm because it was my homework and homework. Watching the Yanghua version of "Thunderstorm" and "After Thunderstorm", I instantly felt what is called "classic" - that is, purely from human nature, so no matter what era you look at, it can make you resonate.
I can understand Zhou Puyuan's dilemma very deeply - he has his love pursuit, but he must first complete the family mission; Xuan Yi is actually a woman who pursues freedom, personality and passion, and has a very modern female consciousness, being forced to drink medicine is a symbol, I think it is her yearning for freedom that is suffocated, not simply a person who seems to be imprisoned by the family, not so simple; Si Feng's fate is bitter, and she falls in love with someone who should not be loved in ignorance. Looking at the fate of Si Feng and her mother Lu Shuping, you will find that sometimes people's choices will be repeated, and they will not be able to pass that hurdle. Therefore, this is a work that really makes people see the contradiction between the light of human nature and helplessness, not simply an exam question in a textbook, what is the central idea, what is the main content, and what class is reflected, not this concept.
As for "After the Thunderstorm", it is a footnote to "Thunderstorm", and it is also inherited, sublimated and rebuilt. It concisely distills the most important character relationship of "Thunderstorm", and through repeated interpretation, makes people feel the complexity of human nature. I think good drama is not afraid of spoilers, in general, Teacher Wan Fang raised this work to a kind of understanding, forgiveness, and seek common ground with each other, which is a very remarkable part of me. Everyone will be curious about what happened after the night of the thunderstorm, and this answer can be seen in "After the Thunderstorm", which is a very warm, bright, and mutual understanding. I think this is the original intention of people to do drama, many times, this society has many diseases that cannot be solved by themselves, nor can they rely on others to help, but they can be redeemed in the temple of drama. We see redemption after watching "After Thunderstorm", which is my subjective feeling.
"After the Thunderstorm" completely makes everyone understand why this person is so bitter, that person is so tired, why that person loves and can't help it, and everyone understands it completely. You will know the subtext part very well, in "Thunderstorm" you seem to understand it, but in "After the Thunderstorm" have a clear interpretation and answer, and it is the interpretation of the good, good, and beautiful side, so be sure to watch "After the Thunderstorm". Why do people make such a choice, do such a life torture, and finally understand each other, agree with each other's choice, this is a very rare thing, is the ultimate beautiful part between people and people, but also the final beautiful part of the drama.
The most interesting part of being an actor
It is to experience, feel, and interpret different lives
Moderator: Next, please ask each actor teacher to talk about the role they play, and whether there are any similarities with their own personality and personality.
Kong Wei (Played by Xuan Yi): Being able to play The Ripple of "Thunderstorm" and "After the Thunderstorm" is very happy for an actor. In "Thunderstorm", She has been seeking freedom, and she feels that the warmth given to her by this family is not enough, and even says that it is consuming her enthusiasm. I am personally not as sharp as The Ripple, I am a more casual person, but I think the inner strength of the Ripple may be every woman. It's just that maybe I didn't get into that situation, so I wasn't motivated. But in the script, on the stage, I was completely aroused, my struggle, my desire, my beauty and my desire for love, I believe that my friends will be able to see it from the ripples on the stage. When such a homework was given to me, I answered it carefully and diligently, hoping that eventually all my friends could feel it in the theater.
Liu Kaiwei (played by Zhou Ping): I played Zhou Ping in "Thunderstorm". To say that there are any similarities with the character of Zhou Ping, in terms of specific personality, I think there is no, let alone his life experience. The most interesting thing about being an actor is that you can experience, feel, and interpret different lives. Being able to play the character of Zhou Ping makes me feel a completely different life from myself, and it is also a place where I feel very lucky.
He Saifei (played by Shi Ping): I played Shi Ping in "Thunderstorm" and "After Thunderstorm". Like Kaiwei's feelings, I couldn't find much similarity to Shi Ping. My personality is also like this, let it go, almost forget it, more recognizable. Shu Ping may also have a little,
I don't think about the rest. I really don't know what to say, first of all, this character, I don't want to position it here, with my subjective understanding of Shi Ping to impose on the audience. I think every audience who watches the play has his subjectivity, and according to his experience, world view, aesthetics, etc., he has his own unique understanding of this play and this character. This waiter was touched by me, and I was trying to understand her when I was rehearsing. In my acting career, I can rehearse "Thunderstorm" and "After Thunderstorm", which is very happy as an actor, which is my real feeling.
Tong Ruimin (played by Zhou Puyuan): Drama is life, life is drama, I am very happy to participate in such a classic work this time, to play Zhou Puyuan. Over the years, I have created some classic characters, such as Confucius, Li Shimin, Yongzheng Emperor, Guangxu Emperor, Tan Sitong, and Qu Qiubai. After many years, since last year, I have once again mobilized my passion for interpreting classic works and classic characters, that is, Mr. Cao Yu's "Thunderstorm" and Ms. Wan Fang's "Thunderstorm After". For more than a year, I have been in a relatively happy state, especially under the encouragement and blows of producer Wang Keran, I have been insisting. Today I am very happy that I was able to stand on the stage as an actor, and it is the stage of the Shanghai Grand Theatre, and it is an honor to be an actor.
The Thunderstorm classic is unfathomable
There are countless possibilities that can be excavated and understood
Tong Ruimin: My personality is completely different from Zhou Puyuan. But I strive to bring him to life and vividly to the audience, so that they can see that such a vital figure in the history of a century of theater can still appear on the stage today. The tragedy of "Thunderstorm" and "After thunderstorm" has just been talked about by famous critics, and I am very much in favor of it. Zhou Puyuan is a character caught in the middle of a "sandwich" relationship. Especially the mentality of the three old people in "After the Thunderstorm", we lined up for a week before yesterday, and really felt that the "sandwich" was very unpalatable, sandwiched between two very individualistic women, making an old man very sad. Teacher Wan Fang's "After the Thunderstorm" is very well written, and to be honest, it is not easy to write, because Mr. Cao Yu is too classic.
Li Zonglei (Lu Dahai): I play Lu Dahai, and in many versions, this role is not even there. Director Zhang Rui and Director Eric (French director) told me that Zhou Ping is the son of his father, and Lu Dahai is also the son of his father, they are the same father and mother. He is two sides of the same body, and Lu Dahai is protecting his inner fragility with something very sharp and very sharp. The similarity between me and the sea is that we are actually vulnerable, arguing with our biological father, colliding with our biological brother, which is the process of his self-belief gradually being destroyed and confused. It's my personal understanding that at least I've caught some chance to pull a little symbolic, a little symbolic figure onto me. So I feel more and more that such a classic work as "Thunderstorm" is unfathomable, and it has countless possibilities for digging and understanding characters.
Shi Wanchuan (Lu Dahai): Hello everyone, I am Shi Wanchuan, Lu Dahai B. Zong Leige, who plays Lu Dahai A, is one of the teachers I admire. Every time I see him, I wonder if there will be another kind of Lu Dahai, whether I can become another Kind of Lu Dahai.
Zhang Heqin (played by Zhou Chong): Hello everyone! My name is Zhang Heqin, and I am the actor of Zhou Chong. The role of Zhou Chong at first I found it difficult to find that feeling, and then I thought about why, and found that in fact, our generation is too complicated, we are not so simple to want a pure emotion, a free pursuit. On this stage, I am trying to figure out how to create a pure youth teenager, thank you!
Luo Yongjuan (singer in "After the Thunderstorm"): I am a singer myself, and I came to the scene today.
But tell me that you must sing, and the purpose of your coming to the scene today is to tell the audience of the whole country that every performance we have sung live, not something that has been recorded. The singer's chant is very important, each scene we are based on the emotions of the actors to perform live, I also want to integrate into each actor, on behalf of each actor teacher, help each character's emotional expression.
What is beyond the times is called classic
The essence is to grasp human nature
Moderator: There is a saying - creation is to ask questions, and creation is the process of constantly approaching the answer. Teacher Wan Fang, what are the questions you asked when you created "After thunderstorm"? Did you get the answer you were looking for during the process?
Wan Fang (Editor-in-Charge of "Thunderstorm" Literature, Screenwriter of "Thunderstorm After"): In fact, whenever I write, including when I am alive, I always have questions in my heart. The big question is: Why are we alive? How are we going to live? Everyone asks themselves at some point. Speaking of my personal feelings, I definitely watched "Thunderstorm" more than all of you, I think we have all been separated from this classic for more than 80 years, just talking about pressure, my father is a liberal father, I never felt that he was a wonderful playwright. I used to write some film and TELEVISION dramas, and I was interviewed to "Are you stressed", and I instinctively replied "I don't feel pressured". It wasn't until I was in my 50s that I was writing my first play, on my way to a small theater where the play was about to be performed, that it occurred to me that I had been being held down by my father. I have written novels, TV series, movies, until I am in my 50s before I dare to move dramas, in fact, these classic plays of his suppress me, he is already so tall, I dare not touch.
Why would I dare to touch Thunderstorm? In fact, it is the same truth. After all, I have watched so much, "Thunderstorm" I have seen I don't know how many kinds of adaptations, even including modern dance, Shanghai Ballet Theater has also performed "Thunderstorm", as a screenwriter, my heart has always been like a small bug crawling - when can I also try? Until I really did, I was not stressed. I felt like I was determined to find it again according to all my feelings for the play. I think the creation of "After the Thunderstorm" is a process of searching for "Thunderstorm". Especially now that I have seen "After Thunderstorm" presented by you, I feel that I have found "Thunderstorm". I dare say that although I have watched so many Thunderstorms, this version of "Thunderstorm" still makes me feel too powerful for a moment, my heart is "throbbing".
Moderator: The next question is thrown to Teacher Zhu Guang. Chinese drama has been more than 100 years old, and the standards of Chinese drama classics are placed under the standards of drama classics around the world.
Zhu Guang: Before answering this question, I would like to add that when Teacher Wan Fang talked to me before, she began to watch "Thunderstorm" when she was 4 years old, and she was frightened by the sound of the steel plate vibrating to create thunder sounds, which was her first impression of "Thunderstorm". Then she has always been very much in awe of her father's works, until the creation reaches a certain stage, and she is relieved to get his approval.
Regarding classics, I think that those who are ahead of the times are called classics. It may have some characteristics of the times at the beginning of its birth, which is in line with the atmosphere of the times and customs and customs at that time, but its most essential thing is to capture the nature of human nature. Everyone has heard a saying - "literature is anthropology", in fact, drama is even more anthropology. The study of drama is all-round, drama is life, drama is people. In the end, the works that can present the complex, subtle, unfathomable and ineffable aspects of human nature must be able to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, and the dramatist who wins the most Nobel Prizes in Literature is the dramatist.
Presented by a French director
Different from the previous "Thunderstorm"
Really watch the audience's adrenaline rush
Zhu Guang: "Thunderstorm" is undoubtedly a classic, and what can refresh me is the current version of Yanghua. You can see a little bit from the video just now, its aesthetic style is completely different from what we have seen before, the Zhou family is a marbled living room, in which a very shocking scene is performed, and Si Feng's home is a wooden structure. The contrast between wood and marble is not simply a contrast of wealth, but a contrast of two aesthetic textures. Good works interpret it in different forms in different eras, and it can still be seen that the author's own pursuit - that is, the expression of people, this is the classic. A few years ago, to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death and the 400th anniversary of Tang Xianzu's death, everyone shook hands with each other. Many people will ask whether Shakespeare's works are still visible today. The question is really asking whether Shakespeare's works are classics. Of course, it is a classic, his works are the light of human nature, so that everyone can warm their bodies and minds after watching it, and they are full of longing for the beauty of this world, such works must be classics. As long as it is a work that reflects people and can resonate with people, it is a good work.
Host: A netizen asked Teacher Wan Fang and director Zhang Rui why this time they asked a French director to interpret a classic Chinese drama?
Wan Fang: This is not the first time that a foreign director has directed "Thunderstorm", it has been done abroad before, the former Soviet Union has acted in "Thunderstorm", and Eastern European countries have also acted in the 1950s. This time, I heard that I would ask a French director to direct it, and I was very happy in my heart. As mentioned earlier, I have watched so many versions of "Thunderstorm", and I am especially looking forward to the appearance of "Thunderstorm" with a new look. The French director really presented a different "Thunderstorm" than before, and I saw my adrenaline soar.
Zhang Rui (Chinese director of "Thunderstorm" and "After Thunderstorm"): I think Teacher Wan Fang said it very well. If I answer this question, it would probably be six words: for the drama, for the audience.
He Saifei: I feel very deeply about this rehearsal. Half a year ago, the first round of the tour was rehearsed by the French team, and the rehearsal was presided over by Teacher Keran and Teacher Zhang Rui to help us improve our processing. I am a stage actor, the teacher told us about "ten years of grinding a play", the play is not afraid of grinding, the more grinding the better, the more grinding the more exquisite. I rehearsed yesterday and felt that I really gave us a lot of advice, I was particularly touched, I couldn't sleep when I went back, I thought we would be better off next. We have to cheer together every time we perform, and before we go on stage, we encourage each other, we must succeed, cheer up, cheer up!
After I performed this play for the first time, several viewers watched "After Thunderstorm" write a paper for my character, and there were too many "whys" asking me - why lu Shuping was able to live with Zhou Puyuan in such an environment, and they could talk? What are the inner considerations of this author? Wait a minute. They read a lot of materials and we discussed them together, which was also a boost for me. I chewed on this character again and again, and once again asked Teacher Wanfang, and we chatted for an hour and a half, and then discussed and consulted again. I think it can go on forever, this play can be good, look forward to us!
Finishing/Rain Station