Theater festival promises performances to remember

"This is the seventh stage production that I made and adapted from Lao She's works. I was very nervous because Rickshaw Boy is one of his most adapted and performed works," says director Fang Xu.

According to Fang, most of the adaptations of Rickshaw Boy highlight the relationship between Xiangzi and Huniu, a tough and hot-tempered woman who marries Xiangzi and dies in child labor.

In Fang's adaptation, the director tries to portray the path of Xiangzi and his changes from an ambitious young man dreaming about owning a rickshaw one day to a poor man who had to sell his newly bought rickshaw to pay for his wife's funeral.

Fang has three male performers onstage simultaneously, all playing the role of Xiangzi at different stages of the character's life.

"They have a talk, which not only unveils their inner world but also communicates with the audience," Fang adds.

"Theater has a remarkable capacity to evoke a wide range of emotions, from joy and laughter to sadness and empathy," says Fang. "Through compelling storytelling, vivid characters and evocative performances, theater allows audiences to experience emotions viscerally and immediately. This emotional engagement can be cathartic, providing a release and a deeper understanding of human experiences and struggles."