Fresh Eyre

Zhu says the director has inspired the cast with the novel's original lines and she enjoys doing the rehearsals, which also allows her to discover her potential every day.

Pu, 69, who is an actor and director with Beijing People's Art Theater, says: "I've read the novel and watched the movie, and both have had a far-reaching influence on me. It's like the music conductors who hope to perform masterpieces of famous composers like Mozart and Beethoven. For actors, Rochester is a dream role-he is a character who is hurt, angry and stern."

Pu and Wang Xiaoying had talked about working together for a long time. In 2019, when the NCPA celebrated the Chinese play's 10th anniversary, Wang Xiaoying invited Pu to play the role of Rochester.

However, after the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the plan was suspended.

"When we could finally sit down and read the script together, I was thrilled. Now, we are doing rehearsals and it's really happening," says Pu.

Wang Xiaoying says: "Pu is an actor whose skills are like water, easily taking on different forms for his roles."

Pu, who has played lots of classic roles adapted from Western literature, such as William Shakespeare's Hamlet and King Lear, says transferring literature into stage work is "magical".

"I am drawn to literature, especially classic novels like Jane Eyre, which I can read over and over again. The hero and the heroine are really difficult to love and they struggle with their own lives. Only when we, personally, go through difficult experiences, can we gain a deeper understanding about the story and the characters," says Pu.