On July 9th, the solo play "My Ocean and Mountain" premiered at the small theater of the National Centre for the Performing Arts. At the end of the performance, the playwright and director Min Yi, along with the lead actress Huang Wei, invited the artistic director Pu Cunxin onto the stage to pay tribute to Yu Shizhi, a renowned Beijing People's Art Theatre performer who passed away 11 years ago. Yu Shizhi's son, Yu Yong, attended the performance. Director Li Liuyi and Beijing People's Art Theatre actors Wu Gang, Yue Xiuqing, Lu Fang, Miao Chi, and Han Qing were also present among the audience.

Live Scene: "My Ocean and Mountain" connects a spiritual dialogue between two generations

Entering the National Centre for the Performing Arts, you will see a curved, white stage adorned with various costumes. Before the performance begins, an actress walks back and forth on the stage, seemingly searching for something. Above the stage, a large screen silently plays a documentary about Yu Shizhi, while inside the theater, various voices read aloud letters exchanged between Yu Shizhi and Li Manyi. Among these readers are many Beijing People's Art Theatre actors including Yang Lixin, Wu Gang, Yue Xiuqing, Lu Fang, Miao Chi, Lei Jia, Zou Jian, Yuan Yu, who use this method to express their remembrance and respect for their teacher, Yu Shizhi.

Love, life, and career are the themes of "My Ocean and Mountain," reflecting the life dilemmas of the female protagonist, an actress who hesitates before these challenges. Life intertwines with drama, dreams with reality, constantly shaping her. It's not until she reads the letters Yu Shizhi wrote to his wife, Li Manyi, that she sees another side of this revered artist's daily life: his tenderness and devotion to his family; his dedication tempered with clarity, confidence balanced with humility; and moments of vulnerability and helplessness, similar to her own. Through these letters, the actress engages in a spiritual dialogue with the senior artist, realizing that greatness lies in the mundane, where countless "small" and "everyday" details create something "sublime." Through this process, she herself undergoes a subtle transformation.

On stage, imagery also presents classic roles portrayed by Yu Shizhi, showcasing the iconic characters he brought to life. Additionally, video footage features Pu Cunxin reminiscing about his unforgettable memories of working with Yu Shizhi in years past.

In this solo play, audiences experience multiple perspectives, including those of the letter writer Yu Shizhi, the recipient Li Manyi, the young actress reading the letters, contemporary onlookers, and various women from classic world dramas such as Fanny, Chen Bailu, Jinzi, Liubao Fu, and Antigone. Sometimes, it's challenging to distinguish between content from Yu Shizhi's letters, theatrical dialogue, and inner monologues of the characters, yet this ambiguity is precisely the dramatic effect the playwright and director aim to achieve.

Behind the scenes: Beijing People's Art Theatre always remembers Yu Shizhi

"My Ocean and Mountain" was written and directed by Min Yi, the stage manager of the Beijing People's Art Theatre. Last year, on the 10th anniversary of Yu Shizhi's passing, she conceived the idea of bringing "My Ocean and Mountain" to the stage. It marked her debut as a playwright and director. She invited Huang Wei, a young actress from the Beijing People's Art Theatre, to play the lead role. Through the perspective of a contemporary woman, the play explores Yu Shizhi's rich artistic life and emotional world, while also reflecting on the pursuit and contemplation of modern individuals.

Actors Wu Gang and Yue Xiuqing from the Beijing People's Art Theatre, along with their son, attended the performance and were deeply moved by this tribute to Yu Shizhi through the play "My Ocean and Mountain". They not only recorded a pre-performance audio message for the play but also expressed their hope to one day perform "My Ocean and Mountain" themselves on stage. They shared, "We have read the contents of these letters many times. Perhaps one day, we can quietly read these precious home letters for everyone, conveying our feelings for Teacher Yu Shizhi to more people."

Translator: BAI Jing

Reviewer: LI An