Written by Mo Yan and directed by Wang Keran, the play “Crocodile” premiered at the Suzhou Bay Grand Theater in Jiangsu this May. After touring 15 cities nationwide and completing 32 performances, it finally took the stage at Beijing Poly Theater from August 30 to September 1, marking the end of this round of performances. Each night, the over three-hour performance, without an intermission, played to a full house, with the audience erupting in applause during and after the show.
Renowned actors perform the “symphony of desire”
“Crocodile” is a play with magical realism, meticulously crafted by Mo Yan over more than a decade. It is also his first original play script after winning the Nobel Prize in Literature. The play is divided into four acts and nine scenes, with the plot revolving around the protagonist Shan Wudan and the “crocodile” he receives as a birthday gift. Through clever plot design, unique stage techniques, and a rich “magical realism” style, the play leads the audience to explore the “crocodile of desire” hidden deep within human nature.
The creative team of the play gathered international elite forces. Renowned Japanese composer Shigeru Umebayashi brought his first original theatrical music to “Crocodile,” and several French artists participated in the stage design, lighting, costumes, and makeup. The cast includes outstanding actors such as Zhao Wenzhuo, Zhang Kaili, Deng Cuiwen, Mo Hong, Bai Kainan, Li Zonglei, Li Longyin, Wang Jinghua, Fu Xing, Lin Zihao, and Bai Wenxian, each delivering breakthrough and even subversive performances.
Actor Zhao Wenzhuo, beloved by audiences for his elegant and handsome image in many films and TV dramas, plays the fugitive corrupt official Shan Wudan in “Crocodile,” marking his first leading role in a play. Zhao Wenzhuo’s lengthy monologue at the end, reminiscent of a Shakespearean tragic hero, vividly reveals the complex inner world of the character.
He expressed special gratitude to everyone in the crew for the growth and insights they brought him: “From Kaili, I learned how to use so many tones to express a person’s personality and emotions; from Mo Hong, I learned improvisation; from Li Zonglei, I learned to relax in performance; and from Deng Cuiwen, I learned perseverance…”
The Fusion of “Magic” and “Reality”: The Play “Crocodile” Explores the “Crocodile of Desire” Deep Within Human Nature
In the play, the role of Shan Wudan’s wife, Qiao Ling, is played by first-class actress Zhang Kaili from the China National Theatre. With extensive experience in both film and stage performances, she remarked that “this is the most challenging role in my 40-year career.” Her strong character-building ability vividly portrays a tragic woman abandoned by her husband, confronting his mistress, and heartbroken over her drug-addicted son, filled with hatred and resentment.
Hong Kong actress Sheren Tang plays Shan Wudan’s mistress, Shou Ma. She faced the dual challenge of delivering extensive Mandarin lines and performing stunts, including a high fall from the second floor. She described the entire rehearsal process as akin to attending a university course, constantly learning and feeling that she could continue performing for another 30 years after completing this “course.”
Soprano singer Mo Hong, with over 30 years of opera experience, was surprised to be cast in a play, portraying an eccentric performance artist named “Lampshade.” Comedian Bai Kainan plays the glib opportunist writer “Niu Bu.” The cast also includes veteran actors from Yanghua Theatre: Li Zonglei as the resourceful secretary “Liu Mufei,” Li Longyin as the cunning feng shui master “Master Huang,” Fu Xing as the fishmonger “Old Hei,” and Wang Jinghua as “Mrs. Tang.” Each actor enters the stage from the audience, akin to traditional opera characters making their entrance, symbolizing the diverse and typical figures from all walks of life, collectively performing the “symphony of human desire.”
Director’s technique blends “reality” and “magic”
In “Crocodile,” Mo Yan uses the characters to express that “the essence of art is to use fiction and symbolism to represent and critique reality.” The playwright’s seasoned literary language is rich in black humor and satire. Building on this, the director employs a blend of reality and symbolism on stage, enhancing the work’s dynamism and richness, and further revealing the characters’ complex psychological states of inconsistency, hypocrisy, volatility, and absurdity.
Director Wang Keran, with years of theatrical production experience, boldly innovates by applying film-level visual production techniques to the stage, creating an unprecedented digital “crocodile” and transforming the stage into a “beast garden.” Each character, driven and tormented by desire, releases their animalistic nature. In this “luxurious prison” of a living room, they exploit, mock, bite, and torment each other, dancing with shackles, celebrating with funeral couplets, and ultimately facing a doomsday judgment in a state of frenzied absurdity.
Wang Keran transformed the entire theater into a stage, with actors entering from the audience and performing among them. Flashlights used to illuminate Shan Wudan on stage also shone on the audience. The multimedia visual effects, characteristic of contemporary theater, overflowed the stage and engulfed the audience, drawing everyone into this “black magical tragicomedy leading to tragedy,” where they could see the “crocodile” in the protagonist and in themselves.
The play is filled with imaginative and creative touches. For example, when Niu Bu pretends to play the flute, he clumsily tries to match the obviously misaligned flute sound. Liu Mufei answers a phone call without holding a phone, yet the sound resonates in the audience’s minds. The multimedia effects realistically present fish in a tank, which only swim when Shan Wudan’s inner desires surge. The stage cleverly blends reality and magic, combining realism and expressionism, using absurd artistic techniques to embody the characteristics of magical literature, giving the drama more expressive tension and a broader imaginative space.
After watching the play, Mo Yan remarked, “Many of the scenes are so familiar yet so strange. This shows that our creative team has indeed made new creations based on the script. Each actor has a deep understanding of their roles, and their performances even exceeded my expectations.” In Mo Yan’s view, a good play is a mirror of life, allowing each audience member to see themselves in it. “Such observation and appreciation are not just about enjoying art but also about reflecting on one’s own life.”
It is reported that tickets for the Beijing run of “Crocodile” sold out three months ago. Due to popular demand, Yanghua Theatre has scheduled additional performances on December 14 and 15 at the Poly Theater, with tickets going on sale on September 2.
High-Energy recreation of Shijiazhuang No. 2 Middle School Basketball Team’s story: Premiere of the movie “Wonderful Youth” held in Shijiazhuang
On the evening of September 2, the youth inspirational film “Wonderful Youth” held its premiere themed “Shining School Season, First Lesson for Youth” at Shijiazhuang No. 2 Middle School. The film’s producer Guo Jingyu, director Ju Xingmao, artistic director Wei Zi, literary director Suo Yabin, screenwriter Li Miao, and actors Ju Hao, Shi Ke, Xia Haoran, Wang Xinzheng, You Quansheng, Zuo Kaifan, Mao Jianglong, Hu Xuhao, and Liu Haoyuan attended the event and shared behind-the-scenes stories with the audience after the screening.
The film “Wonderful Youth” is co-produced by the Publicity Department of the Hebei Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Hebei Provincial Film Bureau, the Shijiazhuang Municipal People’s Government, and the Publicity Department of the Shijiazhuang Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China. It is based on the true story of the Shijiazhuang No. 2 Middle School basketball team’s miraculous 0.7-second buzzer-beater. The film mainly tells the inspirational story of young basketball enthusiasts who never give up on the court.
In the 2020-2021 National High School Basketball League semifinals, Shijiazhuang No. 2 Middle School competed fiercely with Changsha Mingde Middle School. With 0.7 seconds left before the end of the game, Shijiazhuang No. 2 Middle School was trailing by one point. At the critical moment, team member Yang Yufan made a game-winning shot under the basket, turning the tide and winning 93-92, advancing to the finals. “Wonderful Youth” brings this miraculous story to the big screen, vividly depicting the school, coaches, and players, and presenting a passionate and inspiring picture of pursuing dreams, which deeply moves and inspires the audience.
The film was shot on location at Shijiazhuang No. 2 Middle School, and every familiar scene on the big screen elicited cheers from the audience. The intense and thrilling game scenes made the audience’s blood boil, with high-energy scenes creating a strong sense of immersion, frequently drawing applause and cheers.
During the post-screening interaction, Guo Jingyu explained the original intention behind creating the film: “I am from Hebei, and my love for my hometown is certain. The 0.7-second buzzer-beater by Shijiazhuang No. 2 Middle School created a miracle, and the team won the national championship the following year. It is the spirit of this team that moved me.” He also remarked, “The school is so beautiful. If I could go back to my student days, I would love to study at Shijiazhuang No. 2 Middle School.” On-site, young actors Xia Haoran, Wang Xinzheng, You Quansheng, Zuo Kaifan, Mao Jianglong, Hu Xuhao, and Liu Haoyuan shared their experiences during filming. They noted that making this film required not only acting skills but also basketball skills. The most unforgettable part of the filming process was not just competing with basketball but also with themselves. Every action and expression in the film was a test of willpower and a respect for the film’s authenticity.
The audience’s continuous applause came with a special segment of the premiere, the real-life members of the Shijiazhuang No. 2 Middle School basketball team, who were the prototypes for the “0.7-second event,” made a surprise appearance. Li Zirui, Yang Yufan, and Ding Gengmiao shared their feelings and experiences from that time: “The victory in 0.7 seconds was not just the result of individual efforts but the relentless struggle of the entire team. We trusted and encouraged each other, which led to that moment of miracle.”
Famous actors Yang Zhigang and Wang Luodan also made surprise appearances to support the film. Wang Luodan, who grew up on the basketball court with her father being a national first-class basketball referee, said that watching the film felt like being there in person, and she cheered so much that she lost her voice. “Their youth and passion are recorded in a film, which is a rare thing for actors. I am super envious of them.” Yang Zhigang added, “Youth and passion only come once for everyone. Why can’t we fight for our dreams and passions? I think after this film is released, Shijiazhuang No. 2 Middle School might become a popular spot, and more people will come to the school, making every student proud of their alma mater.”
The film, produced by Beijing Changxin Film and Television Media Co., Ltd., iQIYI Pictures (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Huacheng Film and Television Digital Program Co., Ltd., Hebei Yizheng Film Production Co., Ltd., and Shijiazhuang Changxin Film and Television Media Co., Ltd., will be released nationwide on September 7!
Hebei September cultural calendar | Explore the ancient charm of Yan and Zhao, enjoy the splendor of autumn
September in Hebei unfolds like a delicate ink painting, slowly revealing the prelude to autumn culture. On this land, rich in history and picturesque scenery, every inch is engraved with millennia-old stories, and every breeze carries the fragrance of culture. In Shijiazhuang, the 2024 Jing-Jin-Ji Opera Performance Season is in full swing, adding vibrant colors to the city’s cultural life. In Cangzhou, the spectacular Wuqiao acrobatics amaze the audience. In Hengshui, the beautiful performance of “Great Beauty Hengshui - Lake Rhyme for a Thousand Years” leaves the audience enchanted…
Let’s meet in this beautiful September, step into this land where culture and art blend, feel the joy of harvest, appreciate the charm of culture, and add an unforgettable touch of color to this autumn.
The inaugural China Cultural Tourism Industry Expo to be held in Tianjin
Hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and organized by the Tianjin Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, Beijing Xinglv International Media Co., Ltd., and the National Convention Center (Tianjin) Co., Ltd., the 2024 China Cultural Tourism Industry Expo will take place from September 13 to 16 at the National Convention Center in Tianjin.
It is understood that the “China Tourism Industry Expo,” co-hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Tianjin Municipal People’s Government, and the “China (Wuhan) Cultural Tourism Expo,” co-hosted by the Publicity Department of the Chinese Communist Party, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the Hubei Provincial People’s Government, will be merged and renamed the “China Cultural Tourism Industry Expo.” This year marks the inaugural event, to be held in Tianjin.
The theme of this year’s expo is “Experience New Culture and Tourism, Enjoy New Life,” focusing on new demands, markets, and formats in the cultural and tourism industry, with an emphasis on professionalism, market orientation, and internationalization. The expo will feature nine exhibition halls, covering a total area of 150,000 square meters.
Indoor exhibition halls will include a theme hall showcasing the latest achievements and scenes in the national cultural and tourism industry, an outdoor equipment hall, a smart tourism hall, and a Tianjin specialty hall displaying cultural and tourism products. There will also be provincial and municipal halls showcasing tourism destination resources, a Tianjin hall, and a trendy culture hall displaying animation and traditional Chinese culture. The exhibition halls will fully reflect rich consumer experience elements, creating immersive experience spaces and camping scenes, and displaying and selling RVs, space capsules, wooden houses, outdoor camping, low-altitude flying, and other tourism equipment. The Tianjin specialty hall will showcase and sell time-honored brands, intangible cultural heritage products, and Tianjin breakfast and gifts. Concurrently, multiple cultural and tourism business integration activities will be held.
Cultural and tourism departments from various provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities, as well as institutions directly under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, leading industry enterprises, and national industry associations, including the Palace Museum, National Museum of China, Ctrip, Meituan, Tongcheng, Huawei, Tencent Interactive Entertainment, and the China Tourism Car and Boat Association, will participate in the expo, with over 270 groups and more than 2,000 enterprises attending.
This year’s expo will feature a rich variety of activities with strong professionalism, integration, and interactivity. The overall event arrangement is “1+23,” meaning one opening ceremony and 23 supporting activities. These 23 supporting activities include the Cultural and Tourism Industry Project Signing Conference, Global Travelers (Tianjin) Conference, Cultural and Tourism Industry Investment and Financing Conference, Scenic Area New Quality Productivity Development Conference, Domestic Travel Merchants Conference, Jing-Jin-Ji Autumn Cultural and Tourism Activities Release and Launch Ceremony, Tianjin Marathon Cultural and Creative Competition Results Release, “City Roaming Plan” themed cultural and tourism promotion activities, and the “Travel with Micro-Short Dramas” script competition launch ceremony.
