New production from innovative theater company combines dance with traditional Chinese performance arts

The God of Thunder is sent to stop mankind's endless warring across the globe. How will he react when the faithless people cast him out? SanTuoQi theater is taking its new show Thor of Common Man to Festival d' Avignon in France after its successful debut at the event last year.

Inspired by the 18th century author Yuan Mei's absurd and humorous Censored by Confucius: Ghost Stories and Chinese people's complex relationship with the God of Thunder, Zhao Miao, writer and director at SanTuoQi, has combined traditional Chinese shadow play and Nuo Opera, one of the most ancient forms of folk operas from Southwest China, with Western physical theater.

"Theater should not rigidly adhere to a certain style of performance, but learn to be more inclusive and to attain more advanced visions," Zhao says.

"SanTuoQi has endeavored to use traditional wisdom about the arts from Chinese folk culture. This allows us to go further on the international stage."

Zhao founded SanTuoQi in 1996. It is one of the first Chinese performance groups to combine dance with a wide variety of Chinese traditional art performances.

Drawing on the richness of Chinese culture to create a tangible mythical universe of Nuo Opera's masks and the music of Chinese ethnic groups, Zhao's new production reflects the principles of Taoism and yin and yang.

The story tells how Tao, creator of all things, has chosen a man to become the God of Thunder to save the world from terrible demons. The story reveals that all humans can switch between being demons, men and gods.

Six talented actors play different roles ranging from humans and gods. Throughout the 65-minute performance, actors wear Nuo masks that represent different kinds of gods and demon traits. The play not only tells a fairy tale, but also tries to convey the special Chinese cultural concept of yin-yang or Taoism.

Shi Yan, who plays Thor, says the God of Thunder is the most challenging character she has ever played in her 10-year performing career.

"The psychological and emotional change of Thor is very dramatic as well as subtle, and the whole play is performed only in physical theater to show the ebbs and tides of the thunder god," she says. "It requires sophisticated design of body movement to fulfill the task."

To prepare for the role of this quirky god, Shi took inspiration from animals, using animal gestures to flesh out the character.

Last year, SanTuoQi joined Festival d' Avignon for the first time with the show Aquatic.

French newspaper La Provence gave the show four stars. This year, the same newspaper gave their new show three stars, commenting on its "intensity and lightness".

Zhao says the French audiences were wildly enthusiastic about the show. "We had to encore over and over again and after that they still rushed backstage to tell the actors how they were touched and how much the show resonated with them," Zhao says.

zhangyuchen@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily USA 07/26/2013 page14)