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When people entered Beijing People’s Art Theatre on August 9， 2019， they would be greeted by melodious music and recitations of ancient Chinese poems as part of the debut of the original historical drama Du Fu. The production marked the first time renowned Chinese actor Feng Yuanzheng both headlined and directed the same play after nearly four decades in the industry.
With excellent acting skills honed over decades， Feng portrayed Du Fu， a famous poet known as the “saint of poetry” of the Tang Dynasty （618-907）. Du was a“noble soul” （as playwright Guo Qihong wrote） who had a frustrating political life. Feng introduced multi-media projection technology to the theatre and combined modern and classical factors to organize a marvelous contemporary drama on historical themes with modernist atmosphere and innovative expression.
“Home at Beijing People’s Art Theatre”
Feng has spent almost all his time this year on stage performing plays such as Tea House， a classic contemporary Chinese play known as “a miracle on the Eastern stage，”the Beijing-style drama Family Portrait and Antique Collectors， historical dramas Du Fu and Sima Qian （to be staged in St. Petersburg， Russia in October） and Mutiny（adapted from the American novel The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk）. Except for Du Fu， every production has become a signature work of Beijing People’s Art Theatre.
From the kind but weak Master Song in Tea House to paranoid lieutenant commander Queeg in Mutiny， Feng has taken on several important roles in classic plays and impressed audiences with his outstanding performances. In 1985， 23-year-old Feng first joined Beijing People’s Art Theatre， which was already a leading drama performing group back then. “It changed my life，” he recalled. When he was young， Feng dreamed of becoming a professional skydiver， but ended up settling for the thrills of the stage. A year before he joined the art theatre， Feng was rejected by Beijing Film Academy for his “plain appearance.”“I really cherished the opportunity to enter this temple of art，” Feng said. “More importantly， I regained a lot of lost confidence. The art theatre immediately felt like home.”
In the 1980s and 1990s as China was deepening its reform and opening up， literature and art exchange between China and the West saw a steep rise. Beijing People’s Art Theatre began to explore new directions for future development as exchange progressed. In 1986， Feng had the opportunity to learn the performing style founded by Polish theatre director Jerzy Grotowski （1933-1999）. “This opened a new window for me.” German professor Ruth Mellchen， a student of Grotowski， once provided short-term training for Beijing People’s Art Theatre actors and described Feng as“hardworking， diligent and learning fast.” In 1989， Mellchen offered Feng the chance to learn Grotowski’s method systematically by spending two years in Germany.“I learned one of the best performing methods in the world， which allows me to switch into acting mode instantly.” Even today， Feng teaches young actors and college students the Grotowski method whenever the opportunity presents.
Feng was fortunate to find a performing method suitable for himself as Chinese contemporary art developed rapidly. During his 30-year-plus artistic career， he has been cast in myriad impressive roles of contrasting types. After many excellent stage performances， Feng started appearing in film and television to comparable acclaim. He has won major film awards such as the Golden Rooster for outstanding portrayal of traditional figures such as an old farmer and an intellectual. And he has also taken on roles demanding special or even absurd personalities. For example， in a 2001 TV series， he played An Jiahe， a surgeon with a penchant for domestic violence， which catapulted Feng to a household name and made the character a symbol of domestic violence in China.
“Tell Chinese Stories Well”
“Good actors tend to look to directing.” The drama Du Fu， which combines reality and spirituality， testifies to Feng’s comprehensive artistry， innovation in pursuing art and commitment to inheriting and carrying forward the tradition of Beijing People’s Art Theatre.
Feng admitted that adding director to his plate was stressful， but the production blew away his imagination with many surprises. In one scene， Du Fu meets poet friends Su Huan， Li Bai， Gao Shi and Yan Wu in a dream， and the literary giants engage in a thorough debate on good and evil， right and wrong. That scene is particularly impressive. Feng also achieved a breakthrough in stage design. Replacing the traditional realistic style of the art theatre， Du Fu offered a fresh experience by creating a traditional Chinese atmosphere with both strong and soft elements and a metallic set to complement the multi-media visual effects.
“It’s both classical and modern，”Feng grinned. “It’s a beautiful show. Foreign viewers will love it if they get a chance to see it.” On integration of Chinese and foreign dramas， Feng considers it critical to interpret foreign classics and perform them in Chinese form， as was done with Munity.
Since its founding in 1952， Beijing People’s Art Theatre has remained devoted to telling Chinese stories to the world and sharing the charm of Chinese culture. In October， the historical drama Sima Qian will be staged in St. Petersburg， Russia. “Chinese dramas must tell Chinese stories when venturing overseas，” Feng stressed. “What belongs to our nation belongs to the world. And it draws global attention because it stands for our nation.”
With excellent acting skills honed over decades， Feng portrayed Du Fu， a famous poet known as the “saint of poetry” of the Tang Dynasty （618-907）. Du was a“noble soul” （as playwright Guo Qihong wrote） who had a frustrating political life. Feng introduced multi-media projection technology to the theatre and combined modern and classical factors to organize a marvelous contemporary drama on historical themes with modernist atmosphere and innovative expression.
“Home at Beijing People’s Art Theatre”
Feng has spent almost all his time this year on stage performing plays such as Tea House， a classic contemporary Chinese play known as “a miracle on the Eastern stage，”the Beijing-style drama Family Portrait and Antique Collectors， historical dramas Du Fu and Sima Qian （to be staged in St. Petersburg， Russia in October） and Mutiny（adapted from the American novel The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk）. Except for Du Fu， every production has become a signature work of Beijing People’s Art Theatre.
From the kind but weak Master Song in Tea House to paranoid lieutenant commander Queeg in Mutiny， Feng has taken on several important roles in classic plays and impressed audiences with his outstanding performances. In 1985， 23-year-old Feng first joined Beijing People’s Art Theatre， which was already a leading drama performing group back then. “It changed my life，” he recalled. When he was young， Feng dreamed of becoming a professional skydiver， but ended up settling for the thrills of the stage. A year before he joined the art theatre， Feng was rejected by Beijing Film Academy for his “plain appearance.”“I really cherished the opportunity to enter this temple of art，” Feng said. “More importantly， I regained a lot of lost confidence. The art theatre immediately felt like home.”
In the 1980s and 1990s as China was deepening its reform and opening up， literature and art exchange between China and the West saw a steep rise. Beijing People’s Art Theatre began to explore new directions for future development as exchange progressed. In 1986， Feng had the opportunity to learn the performing style founded by Polish theatre director Jerzy Grotowski （1933-1999）. “This opened a new window for me.” German professor Ruth Mellchen， a student of Grotowski， once provided short-term training for Beijing People’s Art Theatre actors and described Feng as“hardworking， diligent and learning fast.” In 1989， Mellchen offered Feng the chance to learn Grotowski’s method systematically by spending two years in Germany.“I learned one of the best performing methods in the world， which allows me to switch into acting mode instantly.” Even today， Feng teaches young actors and college students the Grotowski method whenever the opportunity presents.
Feng was fortunate to find a performing method suitable for himself as Chinese contemporary art developed rapidly. During his 30-year-plus artistic career， he has been cast in myriad impressive roles of contrasting types. After many excellent stage performances， Feng started appearing in film and television to comparable acclaim. He has won major film awards such as the Golden Rooster for outstanding portrayal of traditional figures such as an old farmer and an intellectual. And he has also taken on roles demanding special or even absurd personalities. For example， in a 2001 TV series， he played An Jiahe， a surgeon with a penchant for domestic violence， which catapulted Feng to a household name and made the character a symbol of domestic violence in China.
“Tell Chinese Stories Well”
“Good actors tend to look to directing.” The drama Du Fu， which combines reality and spirituality， testifies to Feng’s comprehensive artistry， innovation in pursuing art and commitment to inheriting and carrying forward the tradition of Beijing People’s Art Theatre.
Feng admitted that adding director to his plate was stressful， but the production blew away his imagination with many surprises. In one scene， Du Fu meets poet friends Su Huan， Li Bai， Gao Shi and Yan Wu in a dream， and the literary giants engage in a thorough debate on good and evil， right and wrong. That scene is particularly impressive. Feng also achieved a breakthrough in stage design. Replacing the traditional realistic style of the art theatre， Du Fu offered a fresh experience by creating a traditional Chinese atmosphere with both strong and soft elements and a metallic set to complement the multi-media visual effects.
“It’s both classical and modern，”Feng grinned. “It’s a beautiful show. Foreign viewers will love it if they get a chance to see it.” On integration of Chinese and foreign dramas， Feng considers it critical to interpret foreign classics and perform them in Chinese form， as was done with Munity.
Since its founding in 1952， Beijing People’s Art Theatre has remained devoted to telling Chinese stories to the world and sharing the charm of Chinese culture. In October， the historical drama Sima Qian will be staged in St. Petersburg， Russia. “Chinese dramas must tell Chinese stories when venturing overseas，” Feng stressed. “What belongs to our nation belongs to the world. And it draws global attention because it stands for our nation.”