The high-hanging iron frame is like a cage imprisoning the bound soul; the mask with magical power makes humanity lose itself in alienation. From November 6th to 10th, the play "The King of Lanling" produced and performed by the National Theater of China, written by Luo Huaizhen

The high-hanging iron frame is like a cage imprisoning the bound soul; the mask with magical power makes human beings lose themselves in alienation. From November 6th to 10th, the play "The King of Lanling" produced and performed by the National Theater of China, written by Luo Huaizhen and directed by Wang Xiaoying, was staged at the National Theater of China, using the modern fable of "soul and mask" to bring the audience to the stage. Come to think deeply about human nature and destiny.

The drama "The King of Lanling" is based on the heroic legend of the famous Northern Qi general King Lanling. It creatively develops a new storyline and uses historical themes to conduct a contemporary discussion of complex human nature. In the play, King Lanling is no longer just a heroic and capable general in the history books, but a weak prince who uses a girlish attitude to hide his true temperament after witnessing the murder of his father. His biological mother, Empress Qi, gave him the relic of the late king - the mythical beast Da Mian, in an attempt to bring back the blood of King Lanling's son. Wearing the big mask, King Lanling became invincible and finally took revenge, but he also went to the other extreme of being ruthless, cruel and terrifying. In the end, Empress Qi and her lover Zheng Er sacrificed their lives to allow Prince Lanling to say goodbye to his lost ways, take off his mask, and return to his true self.

The stage effect of the play is quite magical and symbolic. The majestic Shenwu Palace roof hanging above the stage is like a huge iron cage, imprisoning the hearts of the characters in the play. The musical temperament in the play combines ethnic and modern elements, and also adds elements of Xiliang music and Qiuci music, leading the audience into either a dark and cold palace, or a battlefield where swords and swords are shining. At the end, as the lights changed, the huge mask lining the bottom of the stage was shattered, and a huge piece of red silk fell from the sky, covering the stage, shaking people's hearts and minds with a strong visual impact.

The play also cleverly sets up an important role group-actors. They are both characters in the play and bystanders outside the play. Sometimes they use funny and exaggerated mask performances to show the traditional Chinese cultural symbol of "Nuo Opera", and sometimes they jump out of the plot to play a role in connecting and judging, making the performance more interesting. Fun.

Director Wang Xiaoying integrates rich traditional Chinese national cultural elements such as Nuo opera, ancient dance, and step songs, and leads the audience to think deeply with a contemporary speculative attitude. In particular, the "mask" of King Lanling has a strong metaphorical nature, symbolizing the identity choice and self-dilemma of human nature in society. Wang Xiaoying said, "The mask gives the character power, but also brings deep-seated risks. It makes King Lanling invincible on the battlefield, and also makes him gradually lose himself." This relationship between "mask" and "soul" , is not only the dilemma faced by King Lanling in the play, but also the self-struggle that contemporary people often experience in complex lives.

Source: Beijing Daily client

Reporter: Wang Run