Last night at the Tianqiao Theatre in downtown Beijing, the black humor drama Toilet by Lin Zhaohua premiered. Ever since its performance was formally announced one month ago, Toilet has been subject of some concern for potential spectators eager to see if—and how for that matter—the performance could be staged. Squatting? Sitting? Or standing?
 
Facing the audience, a line of actors either sitting or squatting on campstools discuss a wide range of moving and cramped topics...this is a scene from the drama Toilet, reported Thursday's China Daily.

The drama's backdrop is provided by the kaleidoscope of changes Beijing's public toilets have undergone. From the 1970s' squatting pits to the 1980s' old-fashioned pay-as-you-go facilities and the 1990s' slightly more hygienic restrooms, Toilet depicts the ups and downs and ins and outs of common Beijingers' lives over past few decades.

Public toilets provide a gathering place for all kinds of people, and can be seen as a miniature representation of society. The drama casts famous mainland actress Tao Hong as a rock-singer, and actor Zhao Liang as a toilet-cleaner. Also included in the restroom roster is a thief who finds his fortune overnight and many other twits and turns. The black humor storyline is easily digestible and highly favored by its director Lin Zhaohua:

"I feel that the script already expresses itself beyond artistic value. Drama should include a critic of social problems and I try my best to present this in the play."

Toilets and defecation are naturally deeply interwoven in the script. Though answering the call of nature is an easy and necessary part of daily life, acting out scenes with convincing movements is really a great challenge for actors.

"I did feel awkward at first, but I think that sometimes if you try too hard to conceal things, it may make you feel more awkward, as audiences maybe didn't notice that at all."

Touted as the squat-drama version of Teahouse, the play is the second largest production by the National Drama Company of China of this year after the big hit 1993. Aside from its featured modern Beijing dialect, each of the play's three acts start with a remarkable cross-talk screen show.

Zhao Youliang, the dean of the National Theatre says Toilet is not only an experimental invention but also an ambitious attempt to challenge the People's Art Theatre, the best theatre in playing such wafting Beijing-flavored dramas.

However, some of the play's vulgar language caused people to squirm in their seats, while others disapprovingly looked down on the potty-mouthed utterances as a crude reflection of how common people speak in daily life. Many, though by no means all, seem to hold that modern drama needs a little more time for the public to flush out the lumps and bumps of expression whether squatting, sitting or standing.

(CRI.com July 1, 2004)