Our reporter Li Li

　　As the Lunar New Year approaches, in the rehearsal hall of Beijing Renyi, the main creators and actors are busy preparing for the new year's drama "Zhenghong Banner".

This is the first new play launched by Beijing Renyi in 2023, and it is also the first new play directed by Feng Yuanzheng after he became the dean. In addition to the young director Yan Rui, it also brings together Pu Cunxin, Yang Lixin, Liang Danni, Wang Qianhua, Yu Zhen, Wang Gang, Fu Jia, Wu Shanshan And other powerful actors will accompany the audience to spend the New Year at the Capital Theater from January 18th.

　　Mr. Lao She's Homeland Feelings

　　Last year was the 70th anniversary of the founding of Beijing People's Art Institute. After a series of climactic celebration activities, how to continue from a new starting point is a question that this theater with a glorious tradition must think about.

　　"Beijing Renyi has entered a new era. What kind of drama do we start with? This is very important." Feng Yuanzheng said that the choice of "Under the Red Flag" as the opening drama was first of all to pay homage to Beijing Renyi's first drama, Mr. Lao She's "Longxugou" is a tribute. At the same time, "Under the Red Flag" itself is also a work that the theater has always wanted to put on the stage.

Therefore, at the node when the curtain of the Capital Theater is restarting and the Spring Festival is approaching, the performance of this play can be said to be at the right time.

　　"Mr. Lao She's autobiographical novel" is actually the point of "Under the Red Flag" that most moved Feng Yuanzheng.

"In this novel, you can see the shadow of Mr. Lao She, how he grew up, and his nostalgia for his relatives. He has experienced turbulent times in his life, and he has experienced joys and sorrows. From this, we can also see Why did he become a people's artist in the end."

　　In creating and arranging "Under the Red Flag", Feng Yuanzheng believes that it must first be faithful to the original work and Mr. Lao She's original intention of writing this novel.

"In fact, what he wrote is not only about his own family, but also the feelings of family and country, and the destiny of the nation. For example, when the play talks about the ignorance of the people under Zhenghong at that time, it will make you feel hateful, ridiculous, sad and pitiful. Looking at it today, we may have such self-satisfied people in real life.”

　　When showing the invasion plot of the Eight-Power Allied Forces on the stage, Feng Yuanzheng used some "very exciting ways" to show that the reaction of the Chinese people at that time was numb.

"In fact, this is also worth reflecting on today. Why did this happen in history? How should we face the world's major changes that have not happened in a century? We should maintain a sense of crisis and discernment."

　　Exploring new expressions of Beijing-style opera

　　Lao She's original work tells the life trajectory of his father's generation from an autobiographical perspective, and at the same time shows and interprets the customs and customs of old Beijing; The volume shows the end of an era in the form of a series of characters, forming a true and profound group portrait.

　　"The difficulty of this play is that it is scattered. It coincides with "Tea House". "Tea House" is a picture of all living beings. This play is actually a picture of all living beings. "Under the Red Flag" may be more scattered." Feng Yuanzheng revealed that in order to solve this difficulty, the script was first shortened and a particularly appropriate form of expression was chosen at the same time. Members', said a few words and then withdrew. We put Mr. Lao She in the 'image of all living beings', sometimes as a bystander, sometimes communicating with people in the play, and sometimes he is introspecting." Therefore, throughout the In this play, the audience will often see "Mr. Lao She" appearing on the stage.

　　Pu Cunxin, who played Lao She in the play, said with emotion, "Mr. Lao She's soul should be there in every performance." This also coincides with Feng Yuanzheng's feelings: "It's really like this. For the first time in our whole play, it is complete. During the rehearsal, when it came to Mr. Lao She’s last monologue, many actors watching the play were in tears.”

　　Beijing-style opera has always been the strength and tradition of Beijing People's Art.

But Feng Yuanzheng said that he hoped that the Beijing flavor of "Under the Red Flag" will be different this time: "Whether it is the form of expression, the design of the stage design or the presentation of the performance of the actors, there is both the tradition of human art and some new explorations."

　　Taking the "roof" of the courtyard house as the core visual element of the whole play is a stage design that Feng Yuanzheng is very satisfied with.

"It's like when we stand on Jingshan Mountain overlooking Beijing, we are surrounded by that kind of roofs, blue bricks and gray tiles." This kind of dance has distinct Beijing elements, and is different from the realistic live-action style that Beijing Renyi used to be good at.

　　After Renyi's 70th birthday, speeding up

　　At the beginning of the new year, once the cast of "Under the Red Flag" was revealed, it was highly anticipated, and the nine performances were sold out within ten minutes of ticketing.

The reporter noticed that in addition to Pu Cunxin, Yang Lixin, Liang Danni, Wang Qianhua, Wang Gang and other senior actors joined in, many young faces also appeared in the rehearsal hall, including several new actors who just joined Beijing Renyi in December last year.

　　"Our theater will retire more than 20 people this year, and there may be more in the next two years, so we urgently need to replenish the strength of young people." It is Feng Yuanzheng who helps young actors to grow up quickly by letting young actors act more, in the rehearsal hall and on the stage. "People and art will not be broken, please rest assured that this point."

　　Talking about this year's performance plan, Feng Yuanzheng revealed that there will be at least eight new plays and more than 500 performances to meet the audience in the four theaters of Renyi.

"We may go out this year to perform for audiences from other places in China, and we will also invite them in, so the stage of Beijing People's Art will be rich and colorful this year. In addition, the opening of the second training course for performing students is also a highlight of this year .”

　　For Beijing Renyi, which has passed its 70th birthday, 2023 is a new starting point.

"I believe that Beijing Renyi did not have a run-up this time, it started directly and accelerated." Feng Yuanzheng is full of confidence in the future of Beijing Renyi, "Humanyi seems to be a very traditional theater, but in fact Renyi has been boldly innovating I hope that in the next three to five years, we will present a large number of new and good plays to the audience."

　　("Beijing Daily", January 16, 2023)