A FRESH THUNDERSTORM

When Chinese theater director Li Liuyi decided to create a stage adaptation of Cao Yu's legendary 1934 play Thunderstorm, he aimed to breathe new life into a work that has captivated generations. Most importantly, his bold reimagining marks a return to the play's literary roots and a profound rethinking of its aesthetic and emotional core.

On Dec 25, Li appeared at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing to announce his new rendition of Cao Yu's masterpiece premiering at the venue from Wednesday to Jan 12.

The production, commissioned by the Hong Kong Arts Festival, seeks to honor the legacy of Thunderstorm while exploring its relevance in today's world, revealing the raw and complex human emotions at the heart of the play, according to So Kwok-wan, program director of the Hong Kong Arts Festival Society.

After its NCPA premiere, Li's version will be staged in other Chinese cities, including Chengdu in Sichuan province, Chongqing and Shanghai from January to February.

It will be staged at the Hong Kong Arts Festival from March 3 to 9, then performed in Singapore from March 28 to 30.

Featuring a stellar cast of celebrated Chinese actors and actresses, with set and costume design by award-winning Hong Kong art director William Chang, Li's adaptation is not just a revival but a reawakening, as So describes it.

Cao Yu's real name was Wan Jiabao (1910-96) and Thunderstorm was his debut play, written during his final year at Tsinghua University. The play was published in 1934 when he was just 24 and became an instant success. It has since been described as one of China's most enduring dramas of the 20th century.

Cao Yu is often called "the father of modern Chinese drama". He was appointed the director of the Beijing People's Art Theatre when it opened in 1952 and in 1954, the established theater staged Thunderstorm, which has since become one of the theater's most iconic productions and remains beloved by audiences.

Set in 1925, the story unfolds in a single location: the home of Zhou Puyuan, a wealthy industrialist and patriarch of the Zhou family. The play takes place over a single day, with a storm raging outside, symbolizing the emotional turmoil of the characters. Zhou lives with his wife, the gentle but submissive Fan Yi, and their two children — Zhou Ping, a college student who has become disillusioned with his father, and his younger sister Si Feng, a beautiful but naive young woman. However, the family's seemingly perfect facade hides deep secrets. When a woman named Lu Shiping arrives at the house, it is revealed that she is Zhou Puyuan's former lover. Lu, who has suffered in poverty since their separation, returns seeking closure and answers.

"In 2024, the play celebrated its 90th anniversary and there have been many versions of Thunderstorm staged in the country," says Li, 64. "This time, we are restoring the prologue and epilogue from Cao Yu's original script, reclaiming many lines that were cut in previous productions, some of which have never been heard."

"When we re-read the text, we found many lines that had been cut," Li explains. "For example, Fan Yi's classic monologue was deleted in past productions as was an important scene between Zhou Puyuan and his son. What was once a brief, transitional moment has become a pivotal scene in our production."

According to Li, the prologue and epilogue are not merely narrative bookends but are integral parts of the play's poetic and philosophical fabric. The prologue sets the tone for the play's tragic unfolding and the epilogue provides a philosophical resolution to the characters' fates. For Li, these sections help position the play not just as a drama but as a profound reflection on human existence, in line with Cao Yu's original vision.

"We are going back to Cao Yu, back to the essence of the play, and expressing the theatrical concepts and performing philosophies of today's world. We hope that our production will allow audiences to appreciate the literary quality of the performance and see our new approach to theatrical aesthetics," he adds.

In Li's vision, Thunderstorm becomes more than just a historical document — it is a mirror reflecting the darkest recesses of human nature. The director describes the play as a lens through which the audience can explore despair, hope and the complexities of the human spirit.

"In Thunderstorm, we see ourselves. It is a tragedy, but within that tragedy, there is beauty and power. It shows us the painful truth about human nature," Li says.

Li also highlights Chang's contributions to the stage design and costumes, which are described as "aesthetic and poetic". This production is also a team reunion, including Li, Chang and the actors from the well-received Hamlet production in 2019.

As the play's leading actor, Hu Jun, who works with the Beijing People's Art Theatre, portrays Zhou Puyuan, a character who represents the rigid authority and moral ambiguity at the heart of the story. Hu notes the special significance of his role, particularly given that Cao Yu famously played Zhou Puyuan in a 1937 production.

"This is a unique challenge," Hu, 56, says. "I am honored to bring my interpretation of the character to the stage, not simply repeating the past but reimagining it with our modern sensibilities."

Lu Fang, another highly respected actress from the Beijing People's Art Theatre, plays the role of Fan Yi, the tragic heroine at the heart of the play. Lu Fang has previously worked with Li on numerous productions but emphasizes that this role is a departure from anything she has played.

"Fan Yi is a deeply empathetic and complex character," the 52-year-old actress says. "In preparing for this role, I am reminded of Cao Yu's own words — she is a character with strength in the face of her suffering."