The Paper's reporter Wang Yi
On October 25th, Yi Fei's original small theater drama "Burning Van Gogh" was re-listed at the Beijing Renyi Experimental Theater, written by Yi Fei and directed by Ren Ming. Since its premiere in 2013, this biographical genre drama has been performed more than 100 times, through the interpretation of the short artistic life of the Dutch Impressionist painter Van Gogh, creating a tragic character obsessed with painting, sublimating the artistic character of a great painter in the form of drama - not bowing to life, not giving up dreams and beliefs, insisting on self-exploration and spiritual independence.
Poster of the play "Burning Van Gogh"
Screenwriter Yi Fei once said, "In the course of everyone's struggle, some people are getting farther and farther away from life and closer to their dreams; some people are getting closer and closer to life and farther and farther away from their dreams." Director Ren Ming introduced, "Van Gogh's life is full of hardships, still loves life, loves art, and creates great works that have been handed down to the world, which is an inspirational example." The play explores the artist's attitude towards life and friendship, art and goods, death and eternity, and many other issues, which are closely related to the current state of creation. Such an inspirational work full of joyful suffering and heavy fate has also been recognized by a wide audience. ”
Chinese audiences are no strangers to Van Gogh's paintings and controversial lives. From a secular point of view, Van Gogh's life through namelessness is a typical example of "defeat" in life and mourning after death. "Burning Van Gogh" dissects and displays Van Gogh's inner world through the combination of many important characters, events and paintings that influenced Van Gogh. In the play, Van Gogh and his younger brother Theo, the prostitute Sien and his friend Gauguin have similar lives: they are not recognized by the world, they are tortured in life and spirit, they are on the verge of collapse, and thus present an unusual mental state. This naturally poses a big challenge for the actor's ability to shape the role.
Accompanied by the shallow chanting of "Starry Starry Night, starry stars" singing, Wang Jinsong, a professor at the Beijing Film Academy Acting Academy, interpreted Van Gogh's "great madman" vividly and sweatily; Bai Hui, a young actor in the human arts, continued to play Akane, who integrated "goddesses" and prostitutes, through two completely different stage images, allowing the audience to know such a woman who had haunted Van Gogh's soul from another perspective. Yang Mingxin and Shi Yunpeng, two young actors, played five roles with very different personalities and shapes in the play, sometimes exaggerated, sometimes introverted, and the acting skills honed by hard work have also become a major highlight of the play.
Bai Hui (left) plays the "Goddess" stills photography / Li Chunguang
Van Gogh - Played by Wang Jinsong
Yang Mingxin (right) plays Gauguin
As a small theater drama, "Burning Van Gogh" shows strong creativity in the stage presentation, and Yang Qingsheng, a professor in the Fine Arts Department of the Beijing Film Academy, closely combines Van Gogh's paintings with life through the stage language composed of digital image technology, bringing the audience a more immersive viewing experience. On the surging news reporter's live observation, similar to the form of shadow puppetry, three curtains hung on the stage, showing beautiful pastoral scenery, huge sunflowers and roaring flames and other imagery. At the same time, the middle of the curtain is deliberately cut open, which is not only convenient for actors to jump in and out, but also symbolizes Van Gogh's divided inner world. At the end of the play, shout "I am a sunflower that never falls!" The artist touched all sentient beings with his life of martyrdom.
Wang Jinsong plays Van Gogh
"Van Gogh's Death" on stage
It is reported that this round of "Burning Van Gogh" will be performed until November 8. With the performance of the play, the Renyi Experimental Theater on the fourth floor of the Capital Theatre was reopened. Previously, with the inauguration of the Beijing International Drama Center in early September, the legendary performance space of the Experimental Theater has been "suspended" for two full months.
Wang Jinsong curtain called off Photography Wang Yi
Editor-in-Charge: Liang Jia
Proofreader: Luan Meng