This September, the original play "Fanshanhai," written and directed by Zhu Hongxuan, will premiere in Beijing as the flagship production of The Nine for 2024. The play is based on the story of China's first women's basketball team and continues The Nine's tradition of expansive storytelling within intimate narratives. It breaks away from the previous focus on intellectual groups, opening up an entirely different perspective.
"Fanshanhai" tells the story set in the 19th year of the Republic of China at Sanshan Girls' School in Guangdong, where Principal Lu Sinian is determined to form a women's basketball team. The coach who comes to apply turns out to be her long-lost sister, Di Wuqing. Together, they gather a group of unlikely team members: wealthy heiress Ruan Fengzhu, runaway transfer student Zhou Tai, obedient girl Xie Baohua, nearsighted Su Min, and logistics manager and gossip enthusiast Master Hong Daozhong. Principal Lu Sinian and Coach Di Wuqing lead this "ragtag team" to come together, fight side by side, and strive for freedom. They confront invisible barriers with their flesh and blood, gradually carving out a path through their relentless efforts. Basketball evolves from a mere sport into a belief and a bold declaration of life.
As a passionate youth ensemble drama, "Fanshanhai" unabashedly portrays the immaturity, silliness, and earnestness of young people. None of the girls on the basketball team are traditional athletic champions, and each has an unlikely reason for joining the team. As Coach Di Wuqing says, "Their only common trait is that none of them are favored to succeed." Behind the humorous and tear-inducing stories, one can see physical and mental endurance, speed and strength, competition and determination, and the relay of courage as a torch, choosing not to be fragile for each other.
The cast of "Fanshanhai" includes Sun Xinyu, Wang Xinyu, Wang Xiaohuan, Lu Wen, Lu Xiangzhu, Xiang Anqi, Zhang Wei, and Wang Muzhi. The lineup features both familiar faces who have delivered outstanding performances in previous productions by The Nine, as well as new friends collaborating for the first time, and some old acquaintances stepping from behind the scenes to the stage. The "team members" gathered in early spring to begin physical training and basketball drills well in advance. They will continue working together through the long, hot summer, preparing to embark on their journey when autumn arrives.
In "Fanshanhai," the creative team will ingeniously blend stage design, lighting, and visual effects, bringing the campus, basketball court, mountains, seas, and even the magnificent imaginations of the schoolgirls about the world onto the stage. The entire set will be imbued with an Oriental charm. The play will feature many "comic book" style visual elements and real-time video clips. With lighting complementing the actors' movements, the boundaries between reality and imagination blur, creating thrilling basketball games on stage. When the girls passionately express themselves under the night sky, the entire stage will transform into a vast canvas for their creativity.
Translator: BAI Jing
Reviewer: JIANG Wenyi
