Theater drama is nothing short of a farce

Chen Huansheng's Dining Problem, a comedy drama by the Changzhou Farce Troupe of Jiangsu province, was staged at the Central Academy of Drama in Beijing on Sept 19 and 20, as part of the ongoing 10th edition of the China Original Drama Invitational Exhibition, initiated by the National Theatre of China.

Adapted from the short novel by Chinese author Gao Xiaosheng published in 1980, the drama follows the story of Chen Huansheng, an indebted farmer, whose life changes alongside the country's rapid development in the late 1970s.

Since its premiere in 2018, the comedy drama has been staged over 100 times nationwide.

Farce, or huaji xi, dates back about 100 years and is a performing art form popular in areas near Shanghai, such as Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. Farce combines elements such as monologue, dialogue, improvisation, interaction, mime, and traditional Chinese opera. It was inscribed on the list of the city's intangible cultural heritage in 2011. Different from typical theater actors, farce performers must be more versatile, with expressive body language, quick wit, and exaggerated facial expressions.