'Teahouse': Theater classic still captivate audience after 60 years of performing

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Teahouse is a classic play written by Chinese literature master Lao She and has enticed generations of Chinese. It explores the vicissitudes of modern Chinese society in one special venue, a small teahouse, which caters to various kinds of people. We take a look at the theater classic and its enduring charm over the years.

An excellent script, elite direction and talented performances have made Teahouse a "classic among classics" in China. After being performed for 700 times over 60 decades, it still strikes a chord with the audience today.

"I've stayed here all night, just to get one ticket of the play "Teahouse". Totally worth it."

"Tea House" was written in 1957 and has long been in the repertoire of the Beijing People's Art Theater.

YANG LIXIN ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, "TEAHOUSE" "The play stands out in Chinese theater, it has so many characters, and offers an in-depth dissection of the society at that time. Each character might not have many lines, but you remember them."

60 years of a turbulent China, all tucked into a tiny teahouse. Behind all the hustle and bustle in the teahouse lurks the surging power that will ignite decades of ruthless social upheaval. The Teahouse owner, who has witnessed all the twists and turns, is played by Liang Guanhua .

LIANG GUANHUA ACTOR "Having performed the play for almost two decades, what I feel is that you have to perform with instinct, and forget all the skills you have learned about acting, then you'll feel that it's new. It's not just reinterpreting the classic, but actually feeling it one more time."

In September 1980, the play went on a tour in Germany, France, and Switzerland. It marked the first time a Chinese theater play was invited to play on an international stage. The play's original cast passed the baton to the second generation of actors 20 years ago.

YANG LIXIN ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, "TEAHOUSE" "To cultivate the next generation of actors and actresses for the play is quite difficult, because the era the play portraits is fading away, the talents may not really know about the history and cultural content of that time."

The play will see a brand new version at the upcoming Wuzhen Theater Festival in October, directed by theater veteran Meng Jinghui. Just like they say, a true classic never goes out of date. CGTN.