Reviving classics to retell timeless stories

In the heart of Beijing, where the hum of modernity meets the echoes of tradition, a stirring movement is unfolding at the legendary Beijing People's Art Theatre. It's a movement that reverberates with nostalgia, cultural pride and artistic ambition — a plan to revive some of the most iconic works in Chinese theater history.

Through its latest initiative, the Classic Revival Plan, the Beijing People's Art Theatre is not only bringing back old plays but it is rekindling the very soul of Chinese drama, ensuring that these masterpieces continue to inspire and captivate new generations, said Feng Yuanzheng, a veteran actor and director who is also the president of the theater, in Beijing on Wednesday.

"The theater has more than 300 plays, which can be called 'treasures of the theater'. They are valuable assets passed down through generations, much like our family fortune," says Feng. "After reviewing the extensive repertoire, we chose 20 to 30 plays. In the next three years, we will revive one or two classic works every year, bringing them back to the stage with modern reinterpretations.

"The goal of the plan is to preserve and pass on the artistic and historical significance of these works to contemporary audiences, while also introducing them to new generations of theatergoers," he adds.

The first play mapped out in this initiative is Returning Home on a Snowy Night, a coproduction with the National Centre for the Performing Arts. Back in 2012, Ren Ming, the former president of the Beijing People's Art Theatre, directed this Chinese play, and Feng was one of the actors.