Modern Chinese Drama, or Huaju ("spoken play"), started to develop in the early part of the last century in Shanghai. Different from traditional Chinese operas, it soon won fans for its realistic portrayals of the lives of common folk and for its wide range of works from such Western playwrights as Shakespeare, Moliere and Chekhov. Since then, a number of Chinese playwrights have created works that realistically reflect the changes in the lives of the Chinese before and after the founding of New China. The most memorable include "Teahouse," "The Beijing Man," "The Thunderstorm," "The Family" and "The Prairie." Younger playwrights have tried to develop a more modern style, exploring the inner psyche of personalities with more modernist works and incorporating more modern theatrical techniques.
Editor: Yang Jie | Source: