Home, sweet home

Exploring a Chinese version of the American dream, which centers on the burning desire for a life of promise that includes the perfect home with a white-picket fence, the play Dwelling Narrowness depicts the tale of young urban Chinese workers in their quest to find their a place to call their own.

To be staged at the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center next month, the adaptation borrows its title and story line from Chinese writer Liu Liu's latest novel, which echoes the personal aspirations of young white-collar workers in Shanghai, and is expected to strike a chord with such audiences.

One line from the play narrates, "Walking on the street at dusk, I see thousands of windows lit up with infinite promises of 'home, sweet home'. Yet which single one of these bright windows belongs to me?"

The play's producer Li Shengying described the verse as capturing the ambitions of many young metropolitan professionals wanting to become proud homeowners.

"Look at the soaring housing prices, yet all the young people crave a home of their own," said Li. "People in their 20s are so burdened by heavy mortgage debt that they even jokingly call themselves 'housing slaves' (fang nu)."

The story is centered on the lives of two sisters, Haiping and Haizao. Haiping lives in a tiny rented apartment with her husband. But their 10-sq-m space is so small that their only son is forced to live elsewhere.

In a desperate attempt to buy a flat of their own where the three can live together as a single family unit, Haiping's husband borrows money from a number of loan sharks in order to make ends meet for a down payment on a new home.

Haizao, wanting to help her sister in repaying the debt, begins an affair with a wealthy married man, who gives her the money.

Yet even after the house has been fully paid, both sisters realize the house it worthless to them with their lives in ruin.

"The play is focused on the sharp problems in people's everyday lives, and is also a study of the complication and troubles people encounter in a fast-changing era," said the play's director Lei Guohua.

Lei said though the play is being staged in a small studio theater, it tackles a large problem ever-present in society today, as people cope with the realities of life in an increasingly material world.

The use of interactive performance methods are also meant to further engage audiences like never before, said Lei. Their seats will be positioned around the stage so they are surrounding the actors during the performance.

"So literally, they will feel everything that happens," added Lei.

Additionally, actors will rhetorically challenge audience members at certain moments of the performance, using the powers of theatrical dilemma by asking aloud, "What would you choose if you were in my situation?"

"We are a small theater, but we have big ideas and great creativity," said Lei.

Aug 7-30, 7:30 pm

Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center �C Dramatic Salon

3F, 288 Anfu Road

安福路288号

Tel: 6473-0123

Tickets: 100-150 yuan

(China Daily 07/25/2009 page14)