| "Dragon Whiskers Ditch", "The
Teahouse", two noted plays by Lao She (Shu Sheyu) and another
play adapted from his novel "Four Generations Under One Roof",
known in Chinese as "Si Shi Tong Tang" are for the first
time allowed to be staged in Taiwan January 16th by Beijing Qu Opera
Troupe founded by Lao She.
In 1998, the Beijing Qu Opera Troupe applied to have a public show
of Lao's Dragon Whiskers Ditch in the Island province but was turned
down by the "Ministry of Education" after so-called "examination".
Before that, the Teahouse met with the same fate.
Today, cultural exchanges between the two sides across the Taiwan
Straits have become more frequent, eventually offering the Taiwan
audience the opportunity to appreciate the famous works of the "the
people's artist", the media reported in the province.
Shu Yi, the son of Lao She, also the curator of Beijing Modern
Art Museum will join the tour to Taiwan. Unlike "Dragon Whiskers
Ditch" and "The Teahouse", the "Four Generations
Under One Roof" was but a novel and it has experienced a second
creation, according to Shu Yi. "Putting into the trilogy of
Qu opera, the play may be though lack of the sharpness of a satiric
style as does in the original, is added with some pleasing and melodious
music", he is quoted as saying.
Shu said the day of the premiere in Taiwan, January 16, has unique
significance, as it coincides with the 35th anniversary of his father's
passing away and the 50th anniversary of the completion of Dragon
Whiskers Ditch.
(People's Daily 01/15/01)
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