Theater history comes alive with livestreaming

On International Museum Day－May 18－well-known actors and directors from Beijing People's Art Theater swapped roles and became tour guides, introducing the history of the theater to the public. Well, they became guides virtually, as the tour was actually livestreamed.

After more than two months of closure due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Beijing People's Art Theater reopened its museum to the public on the annual day of recognition for such institutions worldwide. The museum now accepts 100 visitors per day, Thursday to Sunday via online appointments.

To celebrate the reopening, the theater held a livestreaming session, in which veteran and young actors, along with directors and experts, gave detailed presentations of the exhibits from their own professional stance and personal experience.

The museum itself was opened in 2004, containing around 150,000 exhibits, from manuscripts of prominent practitioners in Chinese theater history, to stage props. The museum even restored the study of Cao Yu, a renowned Chinese playwright and the first director of the theater.

"The museum records the history of our theater and enlightens its future. We should assume the responsibility of inheriting our theater culture. Although many of the masters have passed away, we still remember them and often think of them when acting," well-known actor Pu Cunxin says when beginning the tour.

Upon entering the museum, a piece of wood flooring can be seen lying in the center of the hall. The seemingly unremarkable surface is the original stage used by the theater from 1984 to 2004, on which all of the plays during that period were performed.

"I almost cried when I first stood on this stage," Pu says. With his father Su Min being a director at the theater, he grew up in that world, watching plays as a child, but never had the chance to step on the stage.

"When the troupe I was in came to perform at the Beijing People's Art Theater, I helped carry boxes onto the stage. I stood there, gazing at the auditorium. For the first time I had the urge to be an actor in this theater. Several years later, I finally became an actor here and have since performed a lot of roles on this stage."

These unusual tour guides elucidated the stories behind the exhibits. For example, actor Feng Yuanzheng told of the story of an old typewriter used by a classic actress Shu Xiuwen, who performed the role of a typist in the play Man with a Gun.

"Even though she didn't have a single line in the play, she was able to adjust the rhythm of her typing according to the development of the plot and accentuate the mood. Only great actors can utilize their acting in such a skillful way," Feng says.

Because the theater had limited funding when it was first established, many of the props were handmade by the crew, such as a military coat made from gunny sacks and pottery that is actually made from paper.

Chen Li, an associate researcher at the museum, showcased a few artifacts that are not usually on public display, including a journal written by veteran actor Zheng Rong in the 1950s, and an original manuscript submitted by renowned writer Shen Congwen to the theater.

After the tour, Feng led the camera to a rehearsal room, where Pu was giving a lecture in front of a laptop. Although COVID-19 severely impeded the performing arts industries, the theater is, in this way, continuing to train young performers.

According to Feng, the theater has so far organized six acting programs to train young actors and actresses, and two cooperative programs with the Central Academy of Drama, the graduates of which continue to thrive in the industry.

As the theater is undergoing an expansion project due to be completed in 2021, it is in need of a greater talent resource and began a new session of training courses last December. This one-year program adopts a novel format, as the trainees are already graduates of drama schools or professional actors.

"We have had to transfer to online teaching, as this training opportunity is very rare and valuable for these performers," Feng says. "Our theater is very knowledge-oriented. The actors need to continuously learn and read. Gaining knowledge is a life-long project."