"Ding Naizhu's Living Room - Zhang Zhen: It's Zhang Zhen" and the launch ceremony of the 2024 "Jiang/Yun·Zhi/Between" tour were recently held at the Shanghai Theater. In "Ding Naizhu's Living Room", Ding Naizhu, the "first generation Yun Zhifan", famous producer and CEO of Shanghai Theater, met Zhang Zhen who "filled in the gaps in Jiangbin Liu's life". Old friends gathered together to talk about Zhang Zhen's film life and the reason why he chose to appear on the drama stage, and witnessed the multi-faceted Zhang Zhen.
's new version of "Jiang/Yun·Zhi/Between" will have its premiere in October. The tour will include Xi'an, Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou, etc. It is reported that the show will be performed at its home venue - Lai Shengchuan Exclusive Theater·Shanghai Theater from November 1st to 3rd.
Origin of Lai Shengchuan's 40th work "Secret Love in Peach Blossom Spring"
"River/Cloud·Zhi/Between" is the 40th work of Lai Shengchuan, a Chinese dramatist and artistic director of the Shanghai Theater. It is a retelling of Jiang Binliu and Yunzhi in "Secret Love in Peach Blossom Spring" The continuation of the love story, through the form of letters, shows the 40-year exchange of letters that the two received or did not receive from each other and the life experiences behind them. Lai Shengchuan uses layers of superimposed words and philosophical scenes to construct a narrative structure that spans time and space. Through bard-like narration, he presents the audience with a work full of emotional depth and artistic beauty.
The origin of "Jiang/Yun·Zhi/Jian" - "Secret Love in Peach Blossom Spring" has been performed continuously since its debut in 1986. More and more people are entering the theater for the first time to see its style. It has also become the theater enlightenment for many young people. "Secret Love in the Peach Blossom Spring" tells the story of a young man and woman, Jiang Binliu and Yun Zhifan, who met in Shanghai due to the war and were separated due to the war. Later, the two came to Taiwan by chance, but did not know each other. They fell in love for 40 years before meeting each other. , the man and woman had been married for many years, and Jiang Binliu was also on the verge of dying of illness. This story about regretful misses moved countless people to tears. It also made many viewers curious about the 40 years in between, and they imagined the story of Jiang Binliu and Yun Zhifan.
Thirty-five years after the premiere of "Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land", Lai Shengchuan once again took up the pen and created this sequel, personally answering "Have you ever thought about me these years?" He compared the work 35 years ago to a sketch, "Jiang/ "Clouds/Between" uses more delicate and rich brushstrokes to depict the love story of the two people on top of those blank spaces.
Zhang Zhen challenges the "Orphan of the Century" to fill the gap of 40 years in life
In "Jiang/Yun·Zhi/Jian", film and television actor Zhang Zhen and "theatre goddess" Xiao, who has played Yun Zhifan since 1991, are specially invited. Starring Ai. When Zhang Zhen was 14 years old, he became well-known to everyone for his movie "Guling Street Youth Murder Incident". In 2021, he handed over the drama stage to Lai Shengchuan for the first time, challenging Jiang Binliu, the "Orphan of the Century" in "River Clouds Between". Xiao Ai has played Yun Zhifan since 1991. This time in "Jiang/Yun·Zhi/Jian", she will personally fill in the 40-year blank life of Yun Zhifan, which is of great significance to her.
In addition, the play also incorporates the singing of Hu Defu, the father of Taiwanese folk songs. Those popular music are full of nostalgia, and the appearance of Hu Defu also constitutes a special artistic conception of the "Peach Blossom Land" in the play.
"Jiang/Yun·Zhi/Between" will be interpreted by many powerful theater actors from Taiwan, including Li Shaojie, Wei Yicheng, and Weng Quanwei, actors from Shanghai Theater Company Gu Xuewei, Si Wen, Ma Jingwen, Yuan Xinli, Chen Guohui, and young actor Fan Xiuzhu. Those characters, passwords and other details that have been buried in "Secret Love in Peach Blossom Spring" will be fully reflected on the stage of "River/Cloud·Among". The
stage adopts a multi-grid stage that looks like a "memory box", cleverly presenting the characters' situations spanning 40 years, and collaging the wandering life of a generation. Those realistic and dreamy stories will be presented one by one in the magically changing scenery.
The story is not only about love, but also about attachment to hometown.
In "Jiang/Yun·Zhi/Between", the "unreceived letter" is one of the deep imprints, and what is reflected behind it is the miss of the times. In that turbulent era, the regretful stories of little people reflected the tragic misses of the big era. "Jiang/Yun·Zhi/Between" is not only a supplement to the story of the two protagonists of "Secret Love in Peach Blossom Spring", but also a reflection on life and times.
At the event site, Ding Naizhu and Zhang Zhen had an in-depth conversation. Ding Naizhu shared the story of how he and Jin Shijie developed "Secret Love in Peach Blossom Spring" based on Lai Shengchuan's improvisation.
had a very special experience when we reunited in the ward in the last scene. Ding Naizhu said: "At this moment, both Jin Shijie and I suddenly entered an indescribable emotion. We seemed to have suddenly touched a core, and we were deeply concerned about the previous generation. Displacement and a lot of helplessness gave rise to a strong sympathy, and tears flowed involuntarily." This improvisation from the heart moved everyone, and it has not changed a word since then.
Like "Secret Love in Peach Blossom Spring", "River/Cloud·Among" is not only a story about love, but also has a deeper attachment to hometown and a grander narrative of that era. Jiang Binliu and Yun Zhifan are the epitome of people in the great era. The story between the two is not a sensationalism, but a true record of the regrets and impermanence of life. This emotion does not change with the passage of time. Although the era is different, the stories of the characters in that era still bring strong emotional resonance to generations of people.
As a theater poem, "River/Cloud·Between" is Lai Shengchuan's record of a missed era. How will Jiang Binliu and Yun Zhifan complete the blank spaces in their lives? The answer lies in the theater.
Text/Reporter Guo Jia
(Beijing Youth Daily)
