Chinese modern drama's fabulous first century has left a legacy of a wonderful rich heritage. However, a question remains about how to build a Chinese school of modern drama, which can stand proud and tall on the world stage.

According toLi Liuyi, director with Beijing People's Art Theater, this challenge is to adhere to local culture and learn from Chinese operas, which have much longer traditions in China. Li, who used to be a researcher of traditional Chinese operas, has always tried to fuse elements of Chinese operas into his works. "The most important thing that I learned from traditional Chinese operas is that nothing is impossible on the stage," Li said.

"Chinese arts are characterized with highly free expression in limited space, whether in painting, calligraphy or operas."

This is most recently displayed in Li's latest work Lost Village, which features constant changes between realistic and unrealistic scenes, regardless of the styles and plot.

However, Li believes learning from Chinese operas is not enough; a good play is made up of both art and ideas.

A Chinese director should speak through his cultural identity, and his play should also express thoughts that are relevant to the world and current time, he said.

"I have been trying to express world themes with Chinese art forms," he said. "If we still express the same old thoughts of traditional operas, our works will become antiques."

Li's fusion of traditional Chinese opera techniques and contemporary thoughts has won him international acclaim, and his productions have been invited to appear at many festivals around the world.

In June, Li's version of renowned playwright Cao Yu's (1910-96) Peking Man will be staged at the 2007 Singapore Arts Festival.

In Li's version, the original text remains unchanged. However, a few lines were cut to make the play shorter. Through different theatrical techniques he tries to focus more on people. "Previous versions of the play used to focus on the decline of the feudal society, but we ought to pay more attention to people themselves," he said.

"I believe that all Chinese theater workers should pay more attention to people."

Zhao Youliang, president of National Theater Company of China, defines the style of National Theater Company as "no style."

"What I mean is that our company is not limited to one style," he said. "We produce works of many styles, and we try to produce good works in every style."

Zhao's comments ring true if one examines the company's recent productions: Cao Qijing's realistic work Red Dust; Meng Jinghui's multi-media music theater An Exotic Encounter and Wang Xiaoying's Blind City, which was adapted from 1998 Nobel-Prize-winner Jose Saramago's Blindness.
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Actually, these three plays can be seen as representing the orientations of the National Theater Company.

Zhao said the company's three main orientations include realistic works about people's lives, innovative works that represent new theater trends and international theater productions.

"Generally speaking, the National Theater Company is trying to produce the best Chinese theater works and to bring Chinese theater more in line with world theater," he said.

The National Theater Company was founded in 2001 and was the result of the merger between the Central Experimental Theater and China Youth Art Theater.

In 2007, the National Theater Company will continue its yearly plan of staging between 10 to 12 plays, including up to five new plays. Three plays are scheduled to tour overseas. Lost Village will play in Japan in May, Toilet in Israel in August and The Flower in the Mirror, The Moon on the Water in Mexico in October.

"Chinese theater has great software but needs better hardware," Zhao said. "I mean, we have very good directors and actors but need better conditions, such as better quality venues for performances."

The National Theater Company only has a medium-sized theater and is planning to build a bigger theater of its own by 2008. Talking about the future system of Chinese theater, Zhao said that China can refer to Western experiences.

"As Chinese society goes through transitions, the system of theater will also change," he said. "Maybe in the future we will establish an actors' union as in the West, but the government should also keep supporting the development of theater."

Without Yuan Hong, one of the first independent theater producers in China, many important works in contemporary Chinese theater wouldn't have been born. Yuan's career began when he staged his own play Silent Thunderstorm in 1993. At that time, independent theater works were rare in China. Apart from writing and directing the play, he had to do everything by himself, from applying for support to negotiating prices with venues.

"I felt that it was so difficult for independent theater workers to put on their own plays," Yuan said.

"To create a better environment, there had to be some independent producers who work behind the scenes."

Since then, he became such a person, and so far, he has produced nearly 100 plays.

"In China, State-run companies have great resources, but independent theater workers have to depend on themselves," he said. "At the same time, we are more adaptable than State-run companies in terms of producing and promoting plays."

Yuan adopted many ways to promote plays, such as organizing supporter clubs and seminars, and selling merchandise. With his help, a few smaller productions have now become very popular and sponsors are today confident to support other works.

In 2001, to create more opportunities for independent-theater workers, Yuan began to run the North Theater, which became a hub for small-production plays in Beijing. In the same year, Yuan also helped to initiate the College Students' Theater Festival, which has become an annual showcase for theater enthusiasts.

However, in 2005, the North Theater closed down because of the lack of funding, even after Yuan sold his own apartment to subsidize the theatre.

As the College Students' Theater Festival expands, Yuan also quit his work as an organizer, but said he would not stop working in the field of theatre, for it is his lifelong career.

"Now, many Chinese cities have their festivals, but the development of theater needs more than festivals," he said. "Life is made up of common days, not just festivals."

Talking about the centennial anniversary of Chinese drama, Yuan said it was more important to do substantial work than to hold costly commemorative events.

His upcoming plans include a series of National Theater Company's drama performances at Peking University, tour performances of the popular independent play Celestial Human World and a new play about homeless children called Orphans in the Beautiful World.

Yuan is also in charge of the Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land Youth Drama Fund, which is made up of one-yuan donations from each ticket of Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land sold.

The fund, which now has raised nearly 300,000 yuan (US$38,500), is used to support young theater workers and get their projects off the ground.

"Though we can't provide much support in terms of money, we can use our experience and connections to work out affordable plans for productions of small budgets," Yuan said.

"While commercial plays can live on their own, there are other theater works that need support."

(China Daily April 21, 2007)