After Returning Home
Background
After Returning Home (Huijia Yihou, 回家以后) is a play written by Ouyang Yuqian in 1922. He was a Chinese playwright who was well versed in both Western dramaturgy and Peking Opera and co-founded Spring Willow Society, which marked the beginning of modern Chinese theater. He is considered one of the three founding fathers of Chinese spoken drama (along with Tian Han and Hong Shen) and his acting was highly acclaimed. This play was considered one of the earliest satirical comedies in China.
Unlike many other plays during this time, Ouyang Yuqian wrote After Returning Home to convey the opposing theme of then popular May Fourth Movement. This was an anti-imperialist, cultural, and political movement where students in Beijing protested against the weak Chinese government on May 4th, 1919. From this movement, many began to neglect the traditional Chinese values and promoted science, democracy, and other Western values. However, the play rather points to the negative American and European influences on Chinese society by portraying the rural woman with more wisdom. After Returning Home depicts the transformation of the sad and backward “prison house” in rural China in other well-known plays of the period into a place where “western-bound traveler finds love, tranquility, understanding, and forgiveness in an arranged marriage, a traditional practice attacked by the May Fourth generation” (Chen, 7). The modern man with a western education faces confusion and dilemma when he returns home and this induces the audience to further examine the balance between the traditional duties and modern development.
Unlike many other plays during this time, Ouyang Yuqian wrote After Returning Home to convey the opposing theme of then popular May Fourth Movement. This was an anti-imperialist, cultural, and political movement where students in Beijing protested against the weak Chinese government on May 4th, 1919. From this movement, many began to neglect the traditional Chinese values and promoted science, democracy, and other Western values. However, the play rather points to the negative American and European influences on Chinese society by portraying the rural woman with more wisdom. After Returning Home depicts the transformation of the sad and backward “prison house” in rural China in other well-known plays of the period into a place where “western-bound traveler finds love, tranquility, understanding, and forgiveness in an arranged marriage, a traditional practice attacked by the May Fourth generation” (Chen, 7). The modern man with a western education faces confusion and dilemma when he returns home and this induces the audience to further examine the balance between the traditional duties and modern development.
Director's Note
Modern Chinese Drama (huaju) is a genre of theater founded upon the enthusiasm of amateur student clubs. In 1907, Chinese students studying abroad in Japan gathered together to perform an adaptation of Uncle Tom's Cabin titled Black Slave Cries to Heaven (Heinu yutian lü). From that date on, modern Chinese drama has thrived due in no small part to the revolutionary passion of its young student practitioners: from the works of guerrilla theater performed by college and high school students during World War II to the new classic General Jiang's Invitation (Jiang Gong de mianzi) written by an undergraduate at Nanjing University in 2012.
I have been very impressed by the way the students working on this production of After Returning Home have picked up on that spirit. Their investment and innovation have been critical in tackling the challenges of performing this script in English for the very first time. Our discussions have been based around the question of how we could adapt a canonical 1920s Chinese text and perform it in an American university in 2017. In many ways, the text's exploration of studying abroad, family relationships, cultural tensions between East vs. West, and gender politics are still relevant today. However, our costume design and props teams have gone to impressive lengths to be able to portray its original setting in the early twentieth century!
Through the course of our rehearsals, our most important objective has been to find "balance." Ouyang Yuqian composed complex characters whose arguments over what is right and what is wrong have no definitive winner. For that reason, we have worked on showcasing the vulnerabilities and strengths of each person, highlighting why it might be so difficult to find a middle ground between tradition and modernity. We hope that some of these characters will speak to you and will prompt new ideas about the ideal choices in life. Finally, we would like to thank Professor Xiaomei Chen, the department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, and the UC Davis Confucius Institute for their support. Our bold attempt to perform Chinese drama in the English language would not have been possible without their assistance and guidance!
I have been very impressed by the way the students working on this production of After Returning Home have picked up on that spirit. Their investment and innovation have been critical in tackling the challenges of performing this script in English for the very first time. Our discussions have been based around the question of how we could adapt a canonical 1920s Chinese text and perform it in an American university in 2017. In many ways, the text's exploration of studying abroad, family relationships, cultural tensions between East vs. West, and gender politics are still relevant today. However, our costume design and props teams have gone to impressive lengths to be able to portray its original setting in the early twentieth century!
Through the course of our rehearsals, our most important objective has been to find "balance." Ouyang Yuqian composed complex characters whose arguments over what is right and what is wrong have no definitive winner. For that reason, we have worked on showcasing the vulnerabilities and strengths of each person, highlighting why it might be so difficult to find a middle ground between tradition and modernity. We hope that some of these characters will speak to you and will prompt new ideas about the ideal choices in life. Finally, we would like to thank Professor Xiaomei Chen, the department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, and the UC Davis Confucius Institute for their support. Our bold attempt to perform Chinese drama in the English language would not have been possible without their assistance and guidance!
Cast
Lu Zhiping ---------------Anastacy Pian
Fourth year at UC Davis with minimal experience in drama production is interested in participating, because it is her first play and plans to have a good time with fellow members and to gain some theater experience.
Wu Zifang ---------------Anna Zhang
Fourth year student with some drama experience from elementary school plays is interested in this production, because of Xiaomei Chen’s Modern Chinese Drama class and wishes to rekindle her passion for drama.
Mary Liu ---------------Helen Heo
Third year student at UC Davis with acting experience in two high school productions. She is interested in this production, because she is inspired to understand the characters more in depth and learn about the liberation of traditional roles and expectations during that time.
Grandmother ---------------Peixing Annie He
Fourth year undergraduate with no experience in drama production is interested in participating in this performance because she wants to be part of the team to bring Chinese drama to America and to challenge herself to do something new. She hopes to gain more understanding of the Chinese drama and to bring entertainment to the audience.
Lu Qichang ---------------Gabe Homer
Third year student, fifth year of college, graduating this year is excited to be part of the English showing of After Returning Home and hopes to gain a deeper appreciation for Chinese drama and culture with friends.
Wu Youshu ---------------Melvin Lai
Fourth year at UC Davis with some high school experience playing villainous roles is interested in this production to learn more about the artistic culture especially because he was an expat in Hong Kong last year. He plans to have fun and appreciate Chinese Modern Drama with fellow members of the drama club.
Third Wang---------------- Lingqi Zhu
Second year with no past experiences in drama production is interested in this play, because of her Chinese background and curiosity on how the presentation of the script will play out in English. She also wants to understand more about acting and spoken drama.
Zhang Ma -------------Yashi Zheng
Last year at UC Davis, with no experience in drama production is interested in this production, because she’s always liked acting since she was young. She plans on gaining more experience and passion about acting through this production and to enjoy herself.
Lao Chen -------------Matt Reese
Third year Linguistics major with experience performing dance but first time acting in a drama
production. He is interested to see how this play is produced and understand how drama can be translated onto the stage.
Child Mountain Singers --------------Anna Yang
Third year student with no past experience of drama production is interested in this production because she wants to try to perform a small role on stage. She is also excited to cooperate and have fun with everyone in this production too.
Child Mountain Singers ---------------Lareina Li
Second year with some past production experience is interested in this drama production, because of Xiaomei Chen’s Modern Chinese Drama class and wishes to try a small role in the play.
Fourth year at UC Davis with minimal experience in drama production is interested in participating, because it is her first play and plans to have a good time with fellow members and to gain some theater experience.
Wu Zifang ---------------Anna Zhang
Fourth year student with some drama experience from elementary school plays is interested in this production, because of Xiaomei Chen’s Modern Chinese Drama class and wishes to rekindle her passion for drama.
Mary Liu ---------------Helen Heo
Third year student at UC Davis with acting experience in two high school productions. She is interested in this production, because she is inspired to understand the characters more in depth and learn about the liberation of traditional roles and expectations during that time.
Grandmother ---------------Peixing Annie He
Fourth year undergraduate with no experience in drama production is interested in participating in this performance because she wants to be part of the team to bring Chinese drama to America and to challenge herself to do something new. She hopes to gain more understanding of the Chinese drama and to bring entertainment to the audience.
Lu Qichang ---------------Gabe Homer
Third year student, fifth year of college, graduating this year is excited to be part of the English showing of After Returning Home and hopes to gain a deeper appreciation for Chinese drama and culture with friends.
Wu Youshu ---------------Melvin Lai
Fourth year at UC Davis with some high school experience playing villainous roles is interested in this production to learn more about the artistic culture especially because he was an expat in Hong Kong last year. He plans to have fun and appreciate Chinese Modern Drama with fellow members of the drama club.
Third Wang---------------- Lingqi Zhu
Second year with no past experiences in drama production is interested in this play, because of her Chinese background and curiosity on how the presentation of the script will play out in English. She also wants to understand more about acting and spoken drama.
Zhang Ma -------------Yashi Zheng
Last year at UC Davis, with no experience in drama production is interested in this production, because she’s always liked acting since she was young. She plans on gaining more experience and passion about acting through this production and to enjoy herself.
Lao Chen -------------Matt Reese
Third year Linguistics major with experience performing dance but first time acting in a drama
production. He is interested to see how this play is produced and understand how drama can be translated onto the stage.
Child Mountain Singers --------------Anna Yang
Third year student with no past experience of drama production is interested in this production because she wants to try to perform a small role on stage. She is also excited to cooperate and have fun with everyone in this production too.
Child Mountain Singers ---------------Lareina Li
Second year with some past production experience is interested in this drama production, because of Xiaomei Chen’s Modern Chinese Drama class and wishes to try a small role in the play.