By Li Jun

One of the most popular and influential Chinese plays is returning to the Shanghai stage to mark the 100 anniversary of the birth of Cao Yu, "the Shakespeare of China." The curtain has just risen on Thunderstorm at the Shanghai Drama Art Center.

Born in 1910, Cao Yu came to fame before he was 30 by writing a trilogy of plays Thunderstorm, Sunrise and Peking Man, that became milestones in Chinese theater.

Thunderstorm was not only shocking because of some of its themes but it was the first time a Chinese author had written a Western style play, not a Peking Opera.

First published in a literary magazine in 1934, and staged shortly afterwards, Thunderstorm tells a story of a woman seeking freedom and love but suffering under the feudalism of old China.

The woman, Fan Yi, has to deal with two men, a father named Zhou Puyuan and his son named Zhou Ping. Fan is caught between the tyrannical father and her love for his son. It is this conflict that brings her to the brink of madness.

Then, one night in the thunderstorm of the title, to take revenge, she reveals a secret which has been concealed for 30 years.

The play provoked public debate about love affairs at the time, which are "no big deal in today's society," according to Zhang Xianheng, who plays Zhou Puyuan in the new production of Thunderstorm. The famous 74-year-old Shanghai actor has never had the chance to play in a work of Cao Yu before.

"It is a shame for an actor not to have had a role in one of Cao's works. This is as an opportunity to commemorate both the anniversary of the birth of Cao Yu and the 60th anniversary of my own career."

This adaptation of Thunderstorm, had its premiere in Shanghai in 2007. Director Wang Yansong, cut 50,000 Chinese characters from the original script "to strip the play of interpretations that have been imposed on it in different times, to clear it of ideologies, and to liberate the most distinctive themes of the play."

"This simplified version of the play focuses on the love story and psychological struggles of the characters rather than the incest and feudalism. The shorter version also suits a modern audience. The original play lasted for more than three hours. Few people are willing to sit in the theater for more than two hours today," Wang explained.

As well as Thunderstorm, Wang has adapted two other works by Cao Yu - Wilderness in 2006 and Sunrise in 2008, both of which were highly acclaimed.

"Cao Yu is an idol for people interested in modern Chinese plays. I have been studying his works for years. But I don't seek new interpretations of these plays for fun. Classic plays have eternal values, and I want to make those values stand out. I always focus on the text itself," said Wang. "For example, in adapting Thunderstorm, I want to show the hidden cycles of fate. It is a love story and I want to focus on the human aspects."

Zhang Xianheng also sees the "human nature" rooted in Thunderstorm. "It is easier for an audience today to understand the plot," said Zhang. "The director has been bold enough to make large cuts in the original text. This reflects his confidence, which is very important to the cast and the crew."

Actress Song Yining who began her performing career 28 years ago plays the older maid Lu Siping, the same role she had in the 2007 production. "The new 'Zhou Puyuan' - the tyrant father - played by Zhang Xianheng, explores human nature of the character more deeply. The new cast has excited me and I will present a new interpretation from the way I was in 2007."

Director Wang Yansong plans to stage the plays of Cao Yu abroad. An English version of Wilderness played by students from Shenyang University, where Wang is a guest professor, will be staged at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts next month. And in 2012, Wang will audition a team of American actors to stage Cao Yu's trilogy in Ohio.

Date: Until August 22, 7:30 pm

Venue: Shanghai Drama Art Center 上海话剧艺术中心

Address: 201 Anfu Road

安福路201号

Tickets: 100 to 200 yuan

Call 5465-6200 for details