Trapped in a complex web
Veteran female artists adapt American play for the Chinese stage, exploring family dynamics and the various struggles women face, Chen Nan reports.
The 2008 Pulitzer-winning August: Osage County, an American play by playwright Tracy Letts, is set to make its mark on Chinese stages with a new adaptation of the same title.
Produced and performed by artists of the Beijing People's Art Theatre, the Chinese adaptation of the play will premiere at Cao Yu Theatre in the capital on Nov 13, with shows running until Nov 29.
Directed by Tang Ye and Gong Lijun, the production is an exciting fusion of cultural nuances, shedding light on the complex web of family dynamics and unresolved secrets.
Set in the stifling heat of August in a quiet corner of Oklahoma, Letts' original play tells the story of the Weston family, thrown into turmoil after the sudden disappearance of the father, Beverly Weston.
As the family members, each struggling with their personal problems, reunite under one roof, decades of secrets, betrayals, and emotional wounds slowly rise to the surface.
