André absentmindedly presses the piano keys, producing a disordered melody. His daughter, Anna, rushes back to the apartment, questioning him about why he drove away the caregiver. Their conversation seems disjointed, revealing the early signs of Alzheimer's disease in André. From August 15th to 18th, the Theatre of the National Centre for the Performing Arts was drawn into a vortex where memory and reality intertwine. The Chinese version of the play Father, produced by the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre, made its debut as part of the 2024 National Centre for the Performing Arts International Theatre Festival under the "In Beijing, See the World" section. Nearly every seat was filled for the four performances.
The play *Father*, written by French playwright Florian Zeller, has garnered the prestigious Molière Award for Best Play and received nominations for several major industry awards. The film adaptation, The Father, based on the play, won the Academy Awards for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor, among over 30 other accolades. The Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre's version of the play, directed by Jiang Weiguo, stars Jin Shijie, Tian Shui, Liu Peng, Xie Chengying, and others. The plot of Father is not overly complex, as it portrays the gradual loss of memory and cognition experienced by André, a patient with Alzheimer's disease. However, its brilliance lies in the masterful use of the "seeing is believing" trap by both Florian Zeller and the creative team behind the Shanghai production. Each time the stage lights dim and then brighten, and the double-sided stage rotates silently, the suspense deepens. The furniture in the apartment disappears one by one, past people and events reappear, and familiar family members take on completely unfamiliar faces. As the performance unfolds with calm restraint, the audience slowly realizes that the chaotic, reversed, and looping timeline is a reflection of André's lived experience as Alzheimer's disease progressively consumes and erases his sense of reality.
"I was immediately drawn to the script when I read it in Taipei," said renowned actor Jin Shijie, who plays the role of André. Known for his meticulous approach to stage work, Jin collaborated with the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre to bring Father to life, marking his first collaboration with a mainland theater company. During the performances, Jin's portrayal of André was nuanced and natural, effortlessly capturing the audience. He skillfully transitioned from initial stubbornness to the fearful helplessness of a man regressing to a childlike state, anchoring the production with his commanding presence and earning enthusiastic applause. Anna, who shares the most scenes with André, was portrayed by Tian Shui with a gentle yet weary demeanor. Her authentic performance resonated deeply with the audience. "My mother also had Alzheimer's disease," Tian Shui shared. "During rehearsals, the dynamic between André and Anna often reminded me of my own relationship with my mother." The play refrains from overt storytelling or deliberate sentimentality, instead drawing from genuine life experiences and solid production values, which together created many profoundly moving moments in Father.
Translator: BAI Jing
Reviewer: FENG Haoxuan
