Making a play on the past

Xu Jialin, one of the actors who plays protagonist Jin Sheng, is a 22-year-old student in the department of Peking Opera and Kunqu Opera at the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts in Beijing.

He says that due to his background as a traditional opera performer, he can relate to what it was like to be one in the past, adding that most of them were good-natured and dedicated to honing their skills.

"As our teachers always say, 'to learn an art, you must first learn to be a good person'. Only with integrity and sincerity, can we truly understand the character's thoughts and actions in the script," Xu says.

Hu You is an experienced Beijing Quju Opera performer. Taking part in the second run, he describes the process as a meaningful evolution for the cast. Each character is played by two or three actors, and during this run, actors are rotated and regrouped, creating different casts, with fresh chemistry and synergy.

"We have to adjust our performances when we work with different actors. As performers, we might not feel a big difference, but the audience notices, and may prefer different sets of actors," Hu says.

"So in this second run, I think the audience will experience more refined details and a deeper emotional resonance compared to the first run."

Till We Meet Again is Hu's first time starring in a musical. Apart from an enriched learning process to help develop his role in areas such as dancing, swordplay and Kunqu Opera, the experience has left him impressed with musical fans.

"Many audience members have shared their thoughts and reviews on social media, and some are incredibly professional. We've drawn a lot from their feedback. So for us as actors, and for the production as a whole, it's been a really valuable journey of growth," he says.

He was also moved to learn that some of his fans bought tickets to every one of his performances, which motivated him to hone his acting and give something new each time.

Set against the historical backdrop of the ancient complex, the production not only draws from its cultural background to create a compelling story, but also introduces interactive experiences and creative cultural merchandise.

According to Wang Yiwei, one of the producers, the musical will be performed at the venue every May and October, accompanied each time by activities to promote the venue's historical heritage and traditional cultural elements.

For the current run, the creative team has worked to enhance the sense of immersion by designing tickets and handouts inspired by items in the Beijing Museum of Traditional Opera.

"Young musical fans can stroll through the ancient courtyard and buildings, and experience cultural heritage both from our production and the venue," Wang says.