Theater plays key role in dramatic tradition

In a rehearsal room at the Beijing People's Art Theatre, which is about 20 minutes' walk from the bustling pedestrian shopping street of Wangfujing, Feng Yuanzheng sat in front of a wooden desk.

To get into character, he sighed, yelled and hit the table with his right hand－the sound echoing loudly around the room.

Feng was in the middle of a rehearsal on Jan 10 for the play Family Reunion, in which he plays Wang Mantang, who devoted his life to repairing and protecting ancient buildings. He treasured his occupation, which was passed down by generations of his family.

The story, based on a novel by Ye Guangqin, spans four decades and centers on Wang's family, who lived in the courtyard of a hutong (alley) area in Beijing for many decades. Feng, who heads the theater's acting team, has performed the role for the past 15 years.

His wife, Liang Danni, an actress at the theater who also appears in the play, said: "I was worried when he hit the table with his right hand. He broke his right wrist when he performed in the play last year. I kept telling him not to force himself into the role, but he just didn't listen. When he performs, he is not himself anymore."

The rehearsal lasted from 2 pm to 6 pm, with no breaks. When it finally ended, Feng walked toward the young actors sitting at the back of the room, who had been watching throughout, and asked for their feedback.

One of them said: "Do you have to hit the table so hard? It's just a rehearsal, not a real performance."

Feng, 57, said, "I have to, because it makes me 'feel' the role, which helps me in my acting."

The theater, founded in 1952 with renowned playwright Cao Yu (1910-96) as its founding member and first president, adopted the slogan "A play is bigger than the sky", which is printed on a huge banner hanging on a wall of the rehearsal room.

"After being an actor for many years, I still feel the eagerness and passion to perform different roles," said Feng, who joined the theater in 1985. He was sent to Berlin, Germany, to further his acting studies before returning to China in 1991.