The drama "Death Without a Burial" comes to the stage in Xi'an, questioning humanity and dignity and making the audience think deeply.

China News Service, Xi'an, November 14th (Reporters Zhang Yichen and Li Yifan) From November 13th to 14th, "Death without a Burial", which is a repertoire of the 12th Silk Road International Arts Festival and a classic repertoire of the National Theater of China, was performed at the Xi'an Kaiyuan Grand Theater for two consecutive times. It was directed by Chachanzhe and starred by Hai Qing and Xing Jiadong.

This play tells the story of the "free choice" of French resistance guerrillas in the face of torture and death at the end of World War II. With the spiritual power that transcends time and space, it set off a soul storm about dignity and survival in the ancient capital Xi'an.

A few days ago, at a meeting between the show's creators and starring actors, some of the creators and starring actors shared behind-the-scenes stories with the audience around the creation of the work and character creation. "Death Without a Burial" is adapted from the play of the same name by the French existentialist philosopher Sartre. Since it was first staged on the Chinese stage in 1997, the work has gone through nearly thirty years of artistic accumulation and four revivals.

The work does not focus on exaggerating war scenes, but focuses the dramatic conflicts on the hearts of the characters in a closed space. How to transform the complex psychological games of the characters into dramatic actions full of tension through the actors' eyes, body, breathing and emotional rhythm is a major highlight of the stage presentation of the work.

On November 11, the meeting place for the creators and starring actors of "No Place to Die" was held. Photo by Li Yifan

According to director Zhan Zhanzhe, this play is still loved by audiences after many years of performance. The core lies in its in-depth discussion of human nature. "We need to constantly understand ourselves, examine ourselves, create ourselves, and surpass ourselves. I think this is valuable to each of us."

Adhering to the creative concept of "deeply exploring philosophical connotations and characters, and refining meaningful forms and situations", the team amplified the psychological tension of the characters in extreme situations through delicate performance design and precise stage scheduling.

Actor Xing Jiadong plays Canoli in the play. He shared that Canori in the previous version was like a "needle-like existence, as solid as a rock." In this revival, he and the director worked together to inject more emotional undertones into the character, with the goal of creating a "rock with warmth." "I hope that my stage can bring the audience together to explore and think about where it seems impossible to have a clear and unified answer."

The picture shows a still from the drama "Death Without a Burial". Photo courtesy of Xi'an Kaiyuan Grand Theater

Angry, played by actor Cha Wenhao, presents a complete and heartbreaking character arc. Angry is rational, speculative, and eager to control the situation, but he is also the person who experiences the most severe mental breakdown under extreme pressure. In Cha Wenhao's opinion, Angry is closer to the true psychology of ordinary people - he has the desire to become a hero deep in his heart, but he clearly knows his own limitations, and he is constantly struggling and entangled in desperate situations. He is a realistic character.

As Sartre's most representative drama, "Death Without a Burial" does not make simple judgments of good or evil, nor does it easily give standard answers. Every choice points to deep thinking about freedom, dignity and responsibility. Over the years, the work has been continuously performed and resonated with audiences of different eras.

"Why should we go into the theater to watch such a heavy, cruel and tangled drama?" Xing Jiadong said that in his opinion, most of the audiences who are willing to enter the theater want to think more about the meaning of life, the value of existence and daily choices. The team members are very honored to be able to work with the audience to think together and move forward side by side on these propositions worthy of lifelong discussion.

"The smoke of war has gone far, but the propositions about life, dignity and choice have never been outdated. When the curtain falls, what is left to our audience is not only a shocking story, but also a profound gaze on human nature." Xi'an audience Chen Muyu said. (over)