Director/Zhao Miao
As the opening drama of the 6th Wuzhong Poly Canal Drama Festival, the original spy war stage play "Night Walker" directed by Zhao Miao and starring Li Naiwen and Tang Xu will be held on May 4th and 5th at Performed at the Suzhou Poly Grand Theater, this is Li Naiwen's sincere return to the drama stage after 20 years. The fifth stop of
's "Favor Drama Culture Tour" was to go to Suzhou to watch "Nightcrawler". After watching the show on May 5, the main creators of "Nightcrawler" communicated with the audience and talked about behind-the-scenes stories. Director Zhao Miao revealed that he wrote a "10,000-word essay" in order to get Li Naiwen to join. Li Naiwen also said that although he had not acted in a play for 20 years, he would not leave the stage because actors must "recharge." "My charger is Stage, can I forget it? Impossible, never."
went through 96 days of rehearsal, but we had seven or eight hundred days of hesitation, hesitation, and struggle.
"Nightcrawler" is set on the stage. In the 1940s, Peng Xiao and Lin Keda were close friends who grew up together in Macau. Under the influence of new ideas, the two passionate teenagers were eager to join the national salvation movement. When they followed their eldest brother Zheng Qiming to Guangzhou to participate in a protest, they encountered an accident and were accidentally separated. Many years later, Lin Koda became a famous doctor who returned from studying in Japan, and was highly regarded by the head of the Japanese secret service, Nakai Moriichi. Peng Xiao became the captain of the "No. 76" operation team that captured the underground party. After the joy of meeting, both of them were keenly aware of the other's hidden secrets...
screenwriter Tang Xiawa said that he started writing the script of "Nightcrawler" two years ago. Since it was a historical theme, he consulted a lot of information. Although Macao was not the main battlefield during the Anti-Japanese War, Macao's Anti-Japanese War actually closely echoed that of the mainland. Macao provided a large amount of resources to the mainland, and the people of Macao made great contributions to the Anti-Japanese War. "'Nightcrawler' takes two hot-blooded Macau teenagers as the protagonists and tells a story about ideals, friendship, growth and struggle in that era." Tang Xiawa said that she revised the script to the sixth version, "This is the most revised draft I have ever done. , during the rehearsal process, it was constantly modified every day according to the on-site conditions. "
Rich elements such as opera, martial arts, and lion dance are used throughout "Nightcrawler" to form a high-frequency rhythm and exciting spy battle scenes. Tang Xiawa said that although seven or eight performance styles are integrated, they do not want it to be a pile of different performance styles. "We need to find the line of stage balance to make the audience feel that it is a unique stage." "This also requires the organic integration of scripts."
Zhao Miao's previous dramas "The Corridor Pavilion Murder Case", "The Life of the Disliked Songzi" and "Fifteen Days in Two Capitals" were all well-received. He said that this time The motivation for directing "Nightcrawler" is to make a different drama, and to create a different style from the familiar spy war theme. On the other hand, Zhao Miao also admitted that innovation obviously means taking risks. "When an actor outlines the light and shadow on the stage, in fact, the entire stage is his face, his body, and the inner world of the characters he portrays. We hope that the "Nightcrawler" produced will make everyone who appears on our stage The characters are all different, both familiar and strange. They are both Peng Xiao and Ke Ke in our imagination. "
From the moment they decided to make "Nightcrawler", Zhao Miao said that they It started an adventurous journey, "We all want to do something different, and only this kind of thing is worth taking the risk. "Nightcrawler" went through 96 days of rehearsal, but we had seven to eight hundred days of hesitation and hesitation. , struggle, should you do this? What if it doesn't work well? The final six drafts, 21 actors on stage, and 30 or 40 staff members offstage, let the audience see this play. Thanks to all the creators. They are quite brave, because they don’t know what the future will look like at first, but it is precisely the ignorance of the future that makes it worth exploring for beautiful things."
"A glimmer of light in the dark", the stage design attempts to "stay dark"
One of the highlights of "Nightcrawler" is its unique stage design and light and shadow changes. Director Zhao Miao uses ingenious stage assumptions and light and shadow techniques , condenses fifteen years of growth and transformation on the stage, allowing the audience to witness the changes in the mentality of the two protagonists Peng Xiao and Lin Keda from childhood to middle age. At the same time, the black and white gradient platform and the use of multimedia technology on the stage create a unique atmosphere. The stage design and lighting of "Nightcrawler" are stunning, with a strong visual impact. The stage design is based on the core concept of "a glimmer of light in the dark", and the overall stage visual design is centered around "a glimmer of light leads the way, and a spark starts a prairie fire". Combining multimedia to create the texture of a black-and-white film.
stage design Cao Lu said that they designed a multi-layered stage space. In addition to having two more physical stages on top, the stage interval is also fully utilized. Space, that is to say, there is a lot of space on the stage to display, giving the performance multiple environment settings. It gives us more opportunities to complete the parallel time and space displayed on multiple stages. This kind of parallel time and space is actually more like a processing method in movies. "
lighting designer Wen Xiaonan said that because it is a spy war drama, the stage of "Nightcrawler" is a bit dark. Unlike traditional dramas, the stage is full of light. "We are more focused on physical expression. I hope everyone can rely on it. The actors' physical expressions are used to tell the story, to see the continuity, rather than relying on a large amount of language to lay out the narrative. We have done a lot of experiments in this regard.
Wen Xiaonan said that one of her experiments this time was to "leave black", "There is white space in Chinese paintings. Our attempt this time is to leave black. This black is very important." On stage, it doesn't mean that the audience can see every corner and every detail. What we hope is that the audience will have their own imagination after watching it. Why should the auditorium be darkened? The moment the auditorium goes dark, your full attention is on the stage. All your emotions will follow the guidance of the lighting, the switching of the stage, the performances of the actors, and the arrangement of the music, and you will enter this drama step by step. The story of "Nightcrawler" should not be bright and bright on the stage. You don't have to be able to see every detail, every corner, and all the corners of this character. You must have your own imagination and have own understanding.
Wen Xiaonan said that one of the characteristics of "Nightcrawler" is that there is basically no dark field and no lighting, "so everyone will feel particularly smooth when watching it. I think this is one of our biggest features." And we pay more attention to the opening design and ending design. At the end, we hope that the final scene will make everyone want to applaud. "
music in "Nightcrawler" also focuses on suspense and secret warfare, carefully integrating regional art elements. Sound designer Zhao Mengru said that the use of music in the play reached more than 100 minutes, "The design focuses on music and Regarding the integrity of the sound effects, we hope that the auditory experience and visual experience will be the same as Director Zhao Miao’s consistent style and sense of form. Even unified and continuous music can also have dynamic changes. This is the focus of our creation and our direction. "
Talking about this new attempt in "Nightcrawler", Zhao Mengru said that this time he hopes to use sounds to express some of the inner symbols of the character and the externalization of his emotions. "Because the visual presentation of this work is dark, the character expressions In some scenes, it is subtle and restrained, but we hope to use sound to convey a surging feeling to the audience at this moment. We hope to mobilize different senses to give the audience a different experience. It may be different from the picture, but it is The enrichment and expansion of the picture. "The main creators of
said that as an experiment, they would make corrections and adjustments at any time during each tour. "With the feedback from the audience, we will further advance the experiment. Everyone is communicating and making progress at the same time. Therefore, it is very important that the audience also participates in the work during the creative process."
The crew also strives to truly restore the urban environment, weapons used during the Anti-Japanese War, etc. in the play, hoping to enhance the authenticity of the stage at the auditory level and at the same time expand the audience's imagination. Width beyond the visual level.
"The Essay of Ten Thousand Words" invites Li Naiwen to star, "Okay, let's give it a try"
As classmates in the Performance Department of the Central Academy of Drama, Li Naiwen and Tang Xu, two close friends, will star together in "Night Walk". One of the highlights of "The Actor" is that in addition to the high tacit understanding between the two on the stage, the two also echoed each other during the post-performance talk. Li Naiwen laughed and said that for the same question, the two people's answers were almost 99.9% the same, which shows the two people's mutual understanding. Familiarity and compatibility.
"Night Walker" is Li Naiwen's return to the drama stage in 20 years. Director Zhao Miao said with a smile that in order to convince Li Naiwen, he wrote a "10,000-word essay", "I elaborated on the idea of this play in every aspect and told my thoughts about this drama. The prospect of play. But finally I wrote, because of the arrival of you and Brother Xu, I don’t know what the future will look like, but you will make this drama different. I asked him if he wanted to join our adventure team and make this stage different? Brother Naiwen didn't reply for a long time. I thought he didn't agree. Later I found out that he was going to film. After the filming, he replied to me and said, 'Okay, let's give it a try.' "
Regarding starring in "Nightcrawler", Li Naiwen said that the word "adventure" emphasized by Zhao Miao is very attractive to him and Tang Xu, "Through this drama, I want to tell you that we are not old. There is also a sense of adventure. I really didn't expect that Zhao Miao could turn the stage into what it was. After I read Zhao Miao's "The Taoist of Virtual Image", I didn't know even more, but I didn't know this even more, but it made me determined to cooperate with him. This thing is very subtle, and I want him to take me to explore something I have never touched before. This is how "Nightcrawler" you see now is different from when it was performed at the Capital Theater. This is the charm of the drama and the director. It is also what we hope to get, and it is definitely what the audience hopes to see. They complement each other. "
In addition to this level of appreciation, this cooperation also has a sense of friendship - Li Naiwen and Tang Xu were classmates more than 30 years ago, and director Zhao Miao is Tang Xu's cousin. They have known each other for 30 years. "In the past, Zhao Miao was My brother, now he is a director, brings me fresh, unknown and adventurous ideas every time he works. I have to accept him because I believe in him. Why did he come to us? Because he also believes in both of us. This is mutual trust, this is mutual trust between the director and the actor, and it is also mutual trust between brothers. "
Li Naiwen × Tang Xu, thank all young people for taking care of the two "old men"
In "Night Walker", the identity of Peng Xiao played by Li Naiwen is hidden. Li Naiwen said that the character Peng Xiao is facing very difficult times Even painful and cruel choices. Some viewers asked him, has Peng Xiao always been firm in his heart? Has he ever been shaken and entangled?
Li Naiwen said that in that environment, everyone They all have different destinies. "The most important thing is your choice. Sometimes it is really difficult to judge whether he has wavered or whether he has always been firm." I believe that Peng Xiao is determined, but at the same time, I think that with Peng Xiao’s character, his heart is broken because he has to face too much, and sometimes he may question himself, his direction, and things you do. Because he has to do both good and bad things, why? He wants to protect himself. Only by protecting himself can he complete higher tasks. Therefore, I think he is determined, otherwise he would not be able to bear it. He needs a stronger belief to support himself, otherwise this person will be useless. What I really want to show is his own tearing and entanglement, how he chooses, the tearing that he cannot recognize his buddies and has to calmly deal with the enemy, his inner struggle and helplessness."
In "Nightcrawler", in addition to the feelings of family and country, there is also brotherhood. Some viewers asked Lin Koda, played by Tang Xu, how he felt when he met Peng Xiao many years later and knew that he had become the captain of the "No. 76" action team?
Tang Xu believes that the most direct communication between people is the eyes, "The moment you see his eyes, you know that he is still the same A Xiao. I believe in him in my heart. No matter if it has been 15 years or 20 years, when I see his eyes, I know that he is still the same Ah Xiao. But I have superiors and an organization, and I don’t know if my judgment is accurate, so I must keep a distance from him until I am sure. "
Tang Xu believes that as a "night walker", the darker it is, the more light it is to see, "It is important to have a bright heart and a pair of bright eyes, so that you can have the right direction. I think this is a quality that Nightcrawlers have, or their belief. Even though they are in darkness, they believe in the light. It is precisely because of these heroes who carry the burden forward in the darkness that everyone can see the light today. There will always be hardships in life, but the biggest shining point of human nature is that some people do not choose darkness after going through ups and downs, but still choose kindness. "
Li Naiwen believes that this is the thinking of the introverted i person and the extroverted e person. "Ke Ke is an e person. He feels that although he is in the dark, he can see the light. Ah Xiao is an i person, so I don’t know how long it will take for me to see the light when I am in darkness, but I can only move on. "
Most of the actors in "Nightcrawler" are born in the 90s and 00s, and they are all very young actors. Zhao Miao believes that they portray revolutionaries and pioneers, and have different perceptions from those born in the 70s and 80s, but their youth
In front of a group of people born in the 1990s and 2000s, Li Naiwen and Tang Xu laughed and called themselves "old men". They thanked the young actors for their trust in them. "All the actors on the stage, including These actors on stage practice with us two old men every day. They were so tolerant of both of us. They really worked tirelessly with us over and over again, including all aspects of our bodies, and sacrificed so much for us. They put in more sweat than the two of us. "
"Night Walker" has many martial arts scenes, the longest of which lasts nearly 15 minutes. Zhao Miao said with a smile that he did not expect the intensity of physical training and martial arts training to be so high. Li Naiwen and Tang Xu also joked that they have become "martial arts warriors" OK." It is reported that Li Naiwen lost 10 pounds for "Night Walker", while Tang Xu gained 8 pounds of muscle, so much so that the rehearsal room of "Night Walker" was called the "Fat Loss and Muscle Gaining Club." Li Naiwen said, "Facing the body I have a 'love-hate' relationship with teachers and martial arts teachers, but the results are truly wonderful. "
For "Nightcrawler", the crew also went to Macau for interviews. In retrospect, Li Naiwen and Tang Xu said that they saw the old houses and old alleys in Macau, and even ate at the open-air food stalls to feel the local cultural atmosphere. Li Naiwen said: “Macau people are very enthusiastic. Macau was colonized by Portugal for so many years, but they always feel that they are Chinese, so when the country needs them, they step forward without hesitation and without hesitation. They put in a lot of effort behind the scenes. Macau people are very temperamental. "Perhaps it was because they talked about "dinner" after the performance. Li Naiwen also thought of delicious food as he said, "The egg tarts in Macau are also delicious. They are really delicious and the cream is thick." "
My charger is on the stage, can I forget it?
An audience asked Li Naiwen how he mastered the role after playing so many impressive roles? Li Naiwen said that to master the role, you must first come first Getting into the character, into the character’s heart, is a method. “The deeper you go, the different you may understand. Then, what you perform, grasp or interpret is different, and there are many possibilities. Therefore, I often act as a good person acting in a bad way, and a bad person acting in a good way. I want to show the story of this character. Each character has his own destiny and story. The more complex the story, the more interesting and charming the character may be."
Regarding returning to the drama stage after 20 years, Li Naiwen said that he was born in drama, and there must be a piece of his heart that will always be reserved for the stage. "Even if I don't perform it, I will go and watch it. The stage is the dream in my heart and the point of my persistence, so it is right for me to come back. I think my decision was right. I finally came back, but that doesn't mean I won't leave. You can come back again after you leave. "
This time playing "Nightcrawler", Li Naiwen said that he got to know the lovely brothers and sisters, "This is a great wealth for me. I can draw a lot of nutrition from them. Li Naiwen said that film and television actors always say they need to charge, "This time I am charging, drawing power from them. My charger is on the stage. Can I forget it?" No way, never.
Li Naiwen said that he has been paying attention to the drama, "When you stand on the stage and see the audience, you will have the illusion of going back to 20 years ago." When I used to watch a play, there were more than half of the people in the whole place, so this was done, and I was satisfied. I am very happy and touched that the current drama ecosystem can develop like this. A group of old and young drama actors are using their love and persistence in dialogue drama to pave the way step by step. The road will be long and even more difficult, but with these ‘family assets’, I believe we will go further and further. "
Li Naiwen and Tang Xu also said that drama requires risks. Li Naiwen said: "If you don't take risks, you can't make a way out. "Tang Xu said: "Without risk, there is no breakthrough. The reason why drama can reach today is because there are many adventurous people moving forward. "
text/photography by our reporter Zhang Jia/Wang Xiaoxi
