In February 2008, during China's "Year of Greek Culture", an original Greek version of Aristophanes' comedy, The Birds, was staged at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing. The adaptation was the result of a collaborative effort by many mainstream Greek artists and met with great acclaim. Ten years later, the NCPA Drama Ensemble is offering the audience a new rendition of 'The Birds' that blends Greek drama with Chinese culture.

Written by Aristophanes, the ancient Greek "Father of Comedy", and first performed in 414 BCE, The Birds is the only ancient comedy still with us that contains mythological themes, and by far the most fanciful. The play revolves around the establishment of a bird kingdom in the sky, cleverly weaving together myths and legends relating to birds.

The plot forms an organic whole that is well-rounded, and imaginative. It not only criticized the faults of the contemporary society of its time, but also relates an ardent wish for the creation of a more ideal world.

This April saw the premiere of the Chinese version of The Birds. Less than half a year later, it's being staged again after having been revised by director and theater educator Luo Jinlin, and cross-cultural researcher, Luo Tong. The father-daughter team have been working on ancient Greek theater studies for many years.

LUO JINLIN CO-DIRECTOR "This is the second ancient Greek comedy that I direct because comedy is much more difficult to direct than tragedy. The Birds is Aristophanes' most popular play. He borrowed a myth and created a utopia of birds to express his dissatisfaction to the society and political environment. In my production, I want to tell the audiences that ideal is very hard to come true, but diligence is the way to realize it."

Ancient Greek culture researcher Luo Tong has re-translated and localized the language of the Birds. Not only does she annotate ancient Greek mythical allusions and slangs in the original, but also translates the poetic lines into modern oral Chinese.

LUO TONG SCRIPT TRANSLATOR & CO-DIRECTOR "In ancient times, people did divination through birdsong. Birds were regarded as the gods' messengers to humans. Birds are a part of the natural world. In this comedy, human and birds start with hostility and finally reach mutual understanding. The whole world becomes better when nature and human society reach harmony. I think that is why the play is still worth showing today."

The Birds is the 80th play produced by the NCPA, and the only ancient Greek play to have taken the stage to date. YR, CGTN.