Focusing on urban emotional topics, the play ‘In Search of Her Traces: Eileen Chang’ mirrors one’s own life from the perspective of an onlooker. Written by Lin Weiran and Wang Renfan, and directed by Li Bonan and Liu Hao, this play produced by the Zhejiang Drama Troupe brings to the stage the dramatic and unyielding life of the talented woman, Eileen Chang. On stage, the author Eileen Chang is portrayed by the young actor Liu Miao from Zhejiang, wearing a cheongsam, elegant and charming. Her bygone grace is presented alongside Eileen Chang’s classic works and famous quotes, moving the audience deeply.
Throughout the play, ‘In Search of Her Traces: Eileen Chang’ cleverly brings together Eileen Chang with the female characters from her classic novels ‘Half-Life Destiny,’ ‘Red Rose and White Rose,’ and ‘The Little Reunion.’ Through the stories of Gu Manzhen, Wang Jiaorui, and Jiu Li, it tells the legendary life of Eileen Chang, full of love and hatred. The turbulence of Chinese history, the friction of old-style family life, and the changes in her own emotions interweave to create a very complex Eileen Chang. This complexity is reflected in her works, producing a light that transcends time and a mysterious force that reaches deep into human nature. By examining the works from the author’s experiences and tracing back from the presentation of the works to the author, we attempt to find the intersection, inviting readers and viewers to restore a relatively complete and clear Eileen Chang from different perspectives in their hearts.
The play ‘In Search of Her Fragrance: Eileen Chang’ allows audiences to experience the rich connotations of Eileen Chang and her works in a brand-new way. In this production, Eileen Chang is no longer merely the author; she transforms into the female protagonists of her novels, such as the tragic intellectual woman Gu Manzhen from ‘Half-Life Destiny’, the modern intellectual woman Sheng Jiulie from ‘The Little Reunion’, the gentle and virtuous Meng Yanli with a Shanghai accent, and the passionate and fiery Wang Jiaorui with a northern accent from ‘Red Rose and White Rose’. These characters, all crafted by Eileen Chang, are closely connected to her, forming an inseparable collective presentation directed, adapted, and performed by her. This not only provides aesthetic contemplation for the audience but also adds a sense of desolation and the vicissitudes of life.
When the elevated iron platform on stage rotates, Gu Manzhen from ‘Half-Life Destiny’ loses contact with Shen Shijun amidst a snowstorm, and the letters she sends turn into snowflakes that scatter across the stage, creating a scene of desolation; in ‘Red Rose and White Rose’, Tong Zhenbao holds an apple, exchanging lingering glances with Wang Jiaorui; in ‘The Little Reunion’, Sheng Jiulie and Shao Zhiyong sign a marriage contract under a colored glass lamp, wishing for ‘peaceful years and a stable present’… The symphony of multiple timespaces, the brewing of various emotions, and the interpretation of different lives are all linked by the key figure on stage, the legendary woman Eileen Chang. Decades of vicissitudes are condensed into a concise two hours, as Eileen Chang transcends time and space, pacing quietly on stage, leaving a trace of fragrance in the light and shadow. The play focuses on shaping the image of Eileen Chang and the female characters in her novels, such as Gu Manzhen, Wang Jiaorui, and Sheng Jiulie from ‘Half-Life Destiny’, ‘Red Rose and White Rose’, and ‘The Little Reunion’. Through the vivid portrayal of these characters, the complex emotional entanglements and internal struggles allow the audience to feel the power and wisdom of women transitioning from traditional roles to human awakening, as well as the importance of inner strength in one’s life. Additionally, the play uses the narratives of three male characters to show the impact and transformation of Eileen Chang’s novels on their lives, presenting a rich tapestry of life experiences and intellectual insights. The play does not directly tell the true experiences and stories of Eileen Chang but instead selects three representative novels, integrating the characters and plots into the drama. By extracting and interpreting the themes and story fragments of the novels, it presents a striking narrative subject. Through the complex emotional entanglements and internal struggles of the characters, it shows the dilemmas and challenges faced by the protagonist against the backdrop of specific social and historical contexts, filled with love, hate, and the passions of women’s lives.This play-within-a-play technique not only recreates the tragic and joyful history of the protagonists in Eileen Chang’s novels but also reflects the real life of Eileen Chang herself. Audiences easily perceive everything depicted and presented in the novels or plays as Eileen Chang’s own experiences and stories. The title ‘In Search of Her Traces’ is not just about finding her whereabouts but also delving into the trajectory of her inner world. Through various perspectives and facets, it successfully restores the image of Eileen Chang, this legendary talent, allowing her charm and value to be more profoundly displayed. This drama not only showcases Eileen Chang’s life and works but also prompts modern audiences to deeply consider issues of life and human nature. By borrowing stories of classic characters such as Gu Manzhen, Wang Jiaorui, and Sheng Jiuli from Eileen Chang’s pen, along with their emotional entanglements with male characters like Tong Zhenbao, Shen Shijun, and Shao Zhiyong, actress Liu Miao brilliantly portrays the female writer Eileen Chang and the three heroines of the play-within-a-play. Her elegant feminine temperament and charm complement the male actors’ performances, perfectly presenting the term and imagery of ‘traces,’ which specifically refers to the silhouette and footsteps of women, leaving audiences with boundless reverie. The performance of ‘In Search of Her Traces: Eileen Chang’ is not only a tribute to Eileen Chang’s literary works but also an in-depth analysis of urban emotional life. This play, by narrating the growth and pursuit of female characters, reveals the urban dwellers’ longing for love and ideals, provoking the audience’s reflection and resonance on their own emotional lives. On the evening of November 16th at 19:30, at Suzhou Poly Grand Theater, let us embark on an emotional journey about love and pursuit with ‘In Search of Her Traces: Eileen Chang.’ The performance team includes Lin Weiran, a playwright and executive editor of ‘New Script’ magazine, a member of the International Association of Theatre Critics (IATC) China Chapter, and a graduate of the Department of Dramatic Literature at the Central Academy of Drama, engaged in the creation of stage plays, film and television dramas, and art criticism. Main works include: plays ‘Please Lie to Me,’ ‘Incapable of Love,’ ‘Angels on the Road,’ ‘Secret,’ ‘The Unspoken Daily Life,’ ‘Northern Beam Family,’ Peking Opera ‘Young Ma Lianliang,’ Qu Opera ‘Singing,’ TV series ‘The Era We Live In,’ ‘Under the Shadowless Lamp,’ and the film ‘Shut Up! Love.’ His works have won awards nationally and internationally. Wang Renfan, an independent film critic, drama critic, and playwright, with plays such as ‘Parents’ Meeting’ and ‘Thaw.’ Li Bonan, director, vice chairman of Beijing Drama Association, member of the 10th National Committee of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, outstanding expert of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China, a cultural celebrity of China and a talent of the ‘Four Batches’ by the Central Propaganda Department, director of the China Drama Association, director of the Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles, member of the Art Committee of Beijing Performing Arts Group, specially appointed expert of the Art Committee of Shanghai Culture and Broadcasting Performing Arts Group, national expert of the Art Committee of Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center, member of the Zhejiang Province Art Guidance Committee, specially appointed expert of the Zhejiang Province Literary and Art Research Center, permanent artistic director of Zhejiang Province Drama Troupe, artistic director of Ningbo Drama Troupe, and member of the first expert committee of Zhejiang Province Culture and Tourism Think Tank.
Main representative works include: ‘How Much Love Can Be Indulged’, ‘Hidden Marriage’, ‘Idle Talk and Mad Talk’, ‘Philosophy of Old Zhang’, ‘Goodbye Huimin’, ‘[Fuchun Mountain Residence] Legend’, ‘The River Flows Eastward’, ‘Autumn Water Villa’, ‘Every Wonderful Little Thing’, ‘New New Inn’, ‘Special Pardon’. Director Liu Hao, a graduate of Tianjin University, is employed at the Guangzhou Drama Art Center. His main screenwriting works include: ‘Slight Deep Love’, ‘Women’s Early Aging’, ‘Every Wonderful Little Thing’, ‘Very Apology’, ‘Charm Companion’, ‘What’s the Alarm’, ‘Happy New Year’, etc. His main directing works include: ‘Love’, ‘Battlefield Picnic’, ‘To Our Love That Will Eventually Fade’, ‘Autumn Water Villa’, ‘New New Inn’, ‘Yu Dafu’, ‘Li Shutong’s Last Love Letter’, etc. He has won awards such as the ‘Asian Young Director Drama Festival Outstanding Director Award’, ‘Ibsen International Drama Festival Best Director Award’, and ‘Ministry of Culture Outstanding Performance Award for Excellent Plays’. Liu Miao portrays Eileen Chang, an outstanding young actress from the Zhejiang Drama Troupe. She has starred in plays such as ‘Sifan Lu Xiaoman’, ‘In Search of Her Traces: Eileen Chang’, ‘Goodbye Huimin’, and participated in works like ‘Zhimo Has an Appointment’, ‘Who Will Sway the World’, ‘Autumn Water Villa’, ‘Innocent Pen Yu Dafu’, ‘Long March of the Heroes’, ‘Bright Spring Days’, etc. She was awarded the bronze prize in the 2022 Zhejiang Province ‘New Pine Plan’ Youth Drama Actor Competition; her participation in the original sketch ‘With You’ won the 2019 National Art Fund Annual Funding Project. Li Yue portrays Shen Shijun, a national first-class actor. He has starred in plays such as ‘Who Will Sway the World’, ‘Red Middle’, ‘Mind Game’, ‘Just Met You’, ‘Burning Van Gogh’, ‘This Heart is Bright’, ‘In Search of Her Traces: Eileen Chang’, ‘Long March of the Heroes’, ‘Ma Xulun’, and musicals like ‘Green Drama Troupe’, ‘Twelfth Night’, ‘Mulan’, ‘Guo Guo’s Wizard of Oz’, etc. He has won excellent performance awards in the 10th Zhejiang Province Drama Festival Youth Drama Actor Competition and the New Pine Plan Zhejiang Province Drama Youth Actor Competition. Liu Jianfu portrays Shi Weijian, a national first-class actor. He has starred in plays such as ‘Huizhou Legend’, ‘Huaihe Bride’, ‘Zhao’s Orphan’, ‘Yu Dafu: Innocent Pen’, ‘Long March of the Heroes’, ‘Who Will Sway the World’, ‘Sifan Lu Xiaoman’, etc. He was awarded the Golden Lion Performance Award at the 9th Chinese Drama Golden Lion Festival in 2014; the 25th Shanghai Magnolia Drama Performance Art Award for New Leading Role in 2015; the Best Leading Role Award at the 6th International Drama ‘Academy Award’ (Performance Award) in 2016; the Silver Award in the 2nd ‘New Pine Plan’ Zhejiang Province Drama Actor Competition in 2019; and the Gold Award in the 3rd ‘New Pine Plan’ Zhejiang Province Drama Actor Competition in 2022. Wei Peng portrays Tong Zhenbao, a national first-class actor.
Talented individual in Zhejiang’s propaganda and cultural system’s ‘Five Batches’. Starred in dramas: ‘This Heart Is Bright’, ‘The Long March of the Majestic Pass’, ‘The Pure-hearted’, ‘New New Inn’, ‘Li Shutong – The Last Love Letter’, ‘Beautiful Days in Spring’, ‘Marry an Economical Man’, ‘Happiness.com’, ‘Farewell to Lin Huiyin’, ‘Confucius’, ‘Phoenix’, ‘Lei Feng’, ‘Mild Deep Love’, ‘Extremely Apologetic’, etc. Won the Outstanding Performance Award at the 11th Zhejiang Drama Festival; Received the Best Actor Award at the International Drama Festival in Dönsdorf, Germany; Won the Golden Lion Performance Award for Drama at the (2012) National Drama Culture Awards; Won the Best Supporting Actor Award at the Fourth Academy Awards (Theatre Performance) of the Central Academy of Drama; Won the Fifth Zhejiang Drama Award – Golden Osmanthus Performance Award; Won the gold medal in Group A of the 2019 ‘Xinsong Plan’ Zhejiang Young Drama Actor Competition; Won the first prize in the performance category of the Zhejiang Youth Drama Actor Competition at the 10th Zhejiang Drama Festival; Won the first prize in the 2014 ‘Xinsong Plan’ Zhejiang Youth Drama Actor Competition. Zhao Kuo plays Shao Zhiyong. Outstanding young actor of Zhejiang Drama Troupe. Starred in dramas: ‘Qiushui Mountain Villa’. Played major roles in dramas such as ‘The Long March of the Majestic Pass’, ‘Who Will Rule the Ups and Downs’, ‘Seeking Eileen Chang’s Trace’, ‘Lust for Worldly Pleasures – Lu Xiaoman’, ‘Hua Mulan’, ‘New New Inn’, ‘A Date with Xu Zhimo’, ‘Qingqing Yu Village’, ‘The Moon over the Desolate City’. Won the bronze medal in Group A of the 2019 ‘Xinsong Plan’ Zhejiang Young Drama Actor Competition; Won the gold medal in Group A of the 2022 ‘Xinsong Plan’ Zhejiang Young Drama Actor Competition. The full text is open on Saturday, November 16. The performance starts at 19:30. The specific duration of the performance is subject to the actual situation on site.
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