Six Lao She stories to make stage debut

It's no surprise that actor-turned-director Fang Xu's next stage production is going to bring more works of Lao She (1899-1966), one of China's most influential authors, to life.

It is, perhaps, more of a surprise that instead of adapting one of Lao She's more obvious full-length novels, Fang has decided to demonstrate his love for the author's work by bringing six of his lesser recognised short stories to the stage for the first time.

Titled Lao She's Short Stories, the play is based on six tales, written by the novelist, whose real name was Shu Qingchun, between 1934 and 1935: Neighbors, Life Choices, Black Li and White Li, Sacrifice, My Ideal Family and Twenty Notices for Audiences.