Past performance

The Beijing People's Art Theatre's latest production depicts stories set in the capital during three decades of New China's early history, Chen Nan reports.

Yongdingmen Li, the Beijing People's Art Theatre's latest stage production, premiered on May 1, with shows running until Sunday.

The play, which is set against the backdrop of the early days following New China's 1949 founding, features a pair of protagonists — Xiao Dali, a local police chief, played by Yang Mingxin, and Feng Jingbo, a teacher whose true identity is a Kuomintang secret agent, played by Miao Chi. The play sweeps audiences into a whirl of intrigue, rivalry and transformation, spanning more than three decades of Beijing's history.

It's written by Liu Jinyun and directed by Tang Ye. Besides the two lead actors, the supporting cast, including Yuan Yu, who plays a famous Peking Opera singer, and Zhou Jiayu as Xiao's wife, also won applause for their performances.

The set design is a standout feature of the show, meticulously re-creating an authentic Beijing courtyard with lifelike details. The revolving stage, layered and dynamic, mirrors the passage of time and emotional complexities, while the lighting captures the characters' inner turmoil.

The Beijing People's Art Theatre, which was founded in 1952 and is considered a flag bearer of Chinese drama, is known for staging plays about Beijing. From Teahouse, a masterpiece written by luminary novelist and dramatist Lao She (1899-1966), to Wotou Compound, written by Liu Heng and directed by Lin Zhaohua, the theater has won a large fan base with its vivid portrayals of the city's cultural landscapes and people.

Yongdingmen Li is no exception, and has a distinctly Beijing flavor.