The stage play "My Little Prince" was staged in the small theater of Shenzhen Huaxia Art Center.
A few days ago, the stage play "My Little Prince" of the small theater was staged in the small theater of Shenzhen Huaxia Art Center. This is the first "Little Prince" in China for the adult audience market, directed by French director Shao Sifan and starred in the Shenzhen Life Drama Workshop. "I was so touched that I cried." "Very Shenzhen", "Very French", "I want to take my husband and children, two brushes." After two consecutive performances, the play was well received, and many viewers released their resonance on social media, "Very attentive, more warm and philosophical than the commercial performance of the 'Little Prince'." What's more worth mentioning is that this was originally a performance of an amateur drama workshop, but it became the only small theater stage play in China that was selected for the "Sino-French Cultural Spring" Art Festival. What is it that makes this stage play out of the circle as an amateur actor, but it has been recognized professionally and attracted academic attention?
Breaking the child, based on adulthood, adaptation and reconstruction
"My Little Prince" reproduces "The Little Prince", a classic IP in the history of French literature, in the theater through highly stylized drama, music, dance, visuals, objects and other forms, full of unique stage charm and charm. This version of the stage play unexpectedly breaks the child, and is based on the adaptation and reconstruction of adulthood, so that the audience can get deeper enlightenment. Director Shao Sifan, who has rehearsed three plays for the life drama, told reporters that the play is not a children's play, but the first "Little Prince" play for adult audiences in China, dedicated to every adult who has ever been a child. I hope that everyone can perceive the world with different antennae, pursue the story of the "Little Prince", and find themselves.
"If it weren't for the first three plays, it would be difficult to have "My Little Prince"." In director Shao Sifan's view, to create a high-quality stage play, amateur actors need to have a process of getting together for precipitation. It is essential that there is a basic understanding of theatre and performance. Fortunately, this consensus was completed in the first three plays of the drama of life. "I don't want to rehearse a drama workshop debriefing program, but to make a real drama work, I have requirements for actors, and I can't lower my standards just because I'm an amateur actor." Shao Sifan said frankly.
Shao Sifan's concept is that actors must always be their true selves and always connect the repertoire with themselves. The amateur actors of the life drama began to perceive memories from a photo of themselves as children, and gradually found themselves as children, and they met the "little prince" in their hearts, so they had a personalized dedication for each actor at the beginning of the play.
In fact, Shao Sifan faced multiple challenges: on the one hand, he had to provide professional acting education for amateur actors, and at the same time he had to produce a complete show, which was difficult to completely unify. In addition, consider how to integrate a professional team with amateur actors. To this end, Shao Sifan brought a team of innovative and energetic professionals from Beijing: music atom and flowing purple, lighting designer Wang Jingjing, physical director Bi Congwu, visual designer Chen Yuke, dancer Liu Yifeng...... Through artistic innovation, they give excellent professional productions, and at the same time, they also explore the boundaries of theater. The integration of light and shadow technology and stage art, and the exquisite interpretation of solo dance and live music bring a deeper viewing experience to the audience.
Take annual leave to play "The Little Prince" Amateur actors can also shine
"Too much dialogue resonance, a good drama for adults, recommended! This is the presentation of a group of people who are working hard in Shenzhen. "There is light in every actor's eyes, and the performance is all about true feelings. Back then, "The Little Prince" was only hastily flipped over, but in this performance today, I have a deeper understanding of the value of this book. When Cao Leilei, the founder of Shenzhen Life Drama and the producer of "My Little Prince", introduced the creation of the play, she constantly emphasized the audience's feelings after watching it, "This is the best response to questioning the quality of amateur performances, and the simple and natural interpretation style of amateur actors should not be underestimated by the market." ”
Amateur actors are the most distinctive and shining part of this stage play.
In order not to miss this drama, there are still a few people who take annual leave to rehearse, and Zhou He also struggled with a broken toe. Because we are keen to pursue real touching, real exchanges and mutual learning, and the intersection of reality and dreams. Cao Leilei said, "The drama of life is a social theater in which drama intervenes in life, and it is the transformative telling and release of modern people's emotions. As long as you are willing to get rid of the tired body and mind, anyone can devote themselves to the professional stage and present a unique and precious theatrical performance style. The drama of life can integrate both professional and non-professional. In the past four years, we have produced four drama productions, "Sunny", "Sunny, I_Shenzhen", "Sunny: Marriage Scene" and "My Little Prince", all of which are performed by workshop actors in professional theaters. ”
It is reported that "My Little Prince", produced by the Shenzhen Chinese Education Drama Brand Life Drama Workshop, will also hold video version sharing sessions and exhibitions. The reporter learned that 2024 is the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France and the year of Sino-French cultural tourism, and the School of Foreign Chinese of Nanjing University recently held the "Classic Derivative and Cross-border Communication: The Little Prince" Forum", "My Little Prince" director Shao Sifan was invited to participate, he will introduce the creative experience of the play at the forum, and conduct in-depth discussions with Chinese and foreign experts on the cross-border artistic derivation of "The Little Prince".
Sino-French cultural dialogue
Wu Yan, vice president of the French Chinese Art Association:
"I hope 'My Little Prince' will come to France to perform"
Li Yang, director of the Shenzhen City Sound Museum, who has been engaged in sound collection for more than 20 years, knows the resilience and value of the creation of folk art groups. Through 'The Little Prince', we recognize each other! Moved by the people of Shenzhen. ”
Leng Bingbing, the former full-time vice chairman of the Shenzhen Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the founder of the well-known children's program IP Lao Mo family, wrote a paragraph full of emotion and deep insights after reading it. In his opinion, "The Little Prince" has a similar effect to "Journey to the West" - originally a literary gem for adults, but unexpectedly became a part of children's literature. This play, performed for the children present and the adults who used to be children, this is not like a "parent-child play", in fact, in the end, this is more like a "child play": a play in which children accompany adults to watch. "Finally, when the little prince left Earth and returned to his little planet, I saw tears in the actors' eyes, like stars falling into their eyes. I think that at that time, the little prince in their hearts must have really returned...... At that time, the little prince in my heart also woke up, took me by the hand, and led me back to our home. ”
"Shenzhen's inclusiveness has created a rich heritage, and the vitality and symbiosis of various art forms may have benefited from the mainstream aesthetics and consciousness that have not been fixed. A vivid sample of amateur performances of life drama deserves to be seen by more people. According to renowned architect Zhang Jianxing, an expert of the Shenzhen Committee of Experts on Child Friendliness, "My Little Prince" is a theatrical interpretation of "the invisible of important things".
Yu Changjiang, Executive Dean of the School of Humanities and Director of the General Education Center of Peking University-Shenzhen Graduate School, said that the amateur actors who played "My Little Prince" had the courage to express their true feelings on the stage and deduce the true nature of life. The audience should be able to feel that the director of the play is not only an acting director, but also a spiritual director of the actors and the audience. ”
As a selected work of the Sino-French Cultural Spring Art Festival, the play naturally attracts the attention of people and institutions that promote Sino-French cultural and artistic exchanges.
Lv Hongrong, the founder of the Jupiter Art Museum in Shenzhen, was just awarded the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres this year, and she not only provided a rehearsal space for the crew, but also rushed back from Paris to watch the theater before she had time difference. She lamented that the performance not only made her re-examine "The Little Prince", but also awakened the "Little Prince" in her heart again and regained the innocence and beauty that had been lost for a long time. I hope to see more performances like this in the future. This is not only an artistic feast, but also a journey of the soul.
Wu Yang, vice president of the French Chinese Art Association in Paris, came to perform the live video through a friend, and she sighed after watching it, "Shenzhen life drama conveys the life philosophy of the 'little prince' with the characteristics of being close to the times, close to life and close to the heart." Shenzhen's original dance drama "Wing Chun" will be staged at the Palais des Congrès in Paris in October, and I also hope that "My Little Prince" can sail to France to perform, so that the French can experience the interpretation and exploration of the "Little Prince" by Shenzhen people. Wu Yang said.
Written by: Nandu reporter Huang Lu
Photo courtesy of the interviewee