Project: ‘Drama is false talk, but I am serious.’ Drama Nine People is a young drama team founded by Peking University alumni, with rich creativity and high reputation. In the 2012 Peking University Drama Star semi-finals, the nine chairs arranged on the stage and the nine actors debating on the stage witnessed the birth of the crew later named ‘Nine People’ after the play adapted from ‘Twelve Angry Men’. The so-called ‘Drama is false talk, but I am serious.’ – Why not continue to perform ‘Nine People’ for another ten years? At the end of the Drama Star journey, a joking remark during the toast made the main creative team walk out of Yanyuan and embark on the long journey to fulfill the ‘ten-year appointment’.
The past plays of Nine People have all received stable high reputations with highly speculative content and solid stage presentations. On the occasion of the 120th anniversary of Peking University, Nine People created and produced the drama of intellectuals in the Republic of China ‘Four Sheets of Paper’, taking Peking University in the Red Chamber era as the story stage and conducting a different discussion on issues such as educational equity, which has attracted much attention from the industry and received many praises from the audience. At that time, no one knew that ‘Four Sheets of Paper’ would become the first star in Nine People’s ‘Republic of China universe’. NO.1 Governance and pursuit of learning, literary integrity ‘Four Sheets of Paper’ is the first work in the series of dramas of intellectuals in the Republic of China by Drama Nine People. It premiered in Beijing in May 2019. As soon as it was released, it became a dark horse with word-of-mouth reputation that year. This is a wonderful story that took place a hundred years ago, deep in the Red Chamber. In the Republic of China in 1919, it was not only about elegant clothes and charming shadows, but also full of the baptism of blood and fire. With the country in ruins, scholars in the ivory tower must also endure the turmoil of fate. The ‘paper’ in the title of ‘Four Sheets of Paper’ means test paper, and also points to opportunity and adaptability. Its creative inspiration comes from an ‘anecdote’ that took place at Peking University in the early 20th century: Peking University once organized an independent admission examination in Shanghai. Hu Shi, who had just returned from studying in the United States, was responsible for grading Chinese papers. When he read a Chinese test paper of a candidate surnamed Luo, he was full of praise and gave him full marks. However, he found that this candidate’s scores in other subjects were mediocre, and he even got zero in mathematics, which did not meet the admission requirements. Hu Shi, who loved talents dearly, strongly opposed the opinions of others at the admissions meeting and finally admitted him exceptionally. This candidate surnamed Luo is Luo Jialun, who later became the president of Tsinghua University. Although it is a rumor, the main creators can’t help but think: How was the admission result produced? Regarding university education, regarding pursuit of learning in troubled times, regarding the contention and concession of intellectuals, what did the literati a hundred years ago think? An argument among three professors around four test papers thus occurred.In 2024, Nine People Theatre divided the five-part ‘Series on Intellectuals in the Republic of China’ into ‘Liberal Arts Group’ and ‘Science Group’. ‘Four Sheets of Paper’ is a member of the ‘Liberal Arts Group’ that tells about the integrity of literati and is full of wit and humor.
‘Four Sheets of Paper’ is the first work of the ‘Series on Intellectuals in the Republic of China’. At the turn of spring and summer, one night in the Red Chamber. A table in the faculty conference room is a point in the era of enlightenment and rapid progress. Sitting around this point are three professors, Gu Hezhen, Qiu Sanye, and Lu Bo’an. They look at the trajectory of the arrow shot rapidly by the times from different perspectives. Many captivating characters in Nine People’s ‘Republic of China Universe’: the indomitable Professor Lu, our old acquaintance Qiu Sanye, the overbearing Ma Shuixian, and the girl Deng Yiqiu who writes letters to seek education… all make their bright debuts or fleeting appearances in ‘Four Sheets of Paper’. The hidden connections in the ‘Republic of China Universe’ start from this summer night and extend to future stories. The different life stages of the same characters will be revealed in the other two works of the ‘Liberal Arts Group’ – ‘Double Chessboards’ and ‘In Front of the Courtyard’. 【Synopsis】In the eighth year of the Republic of China, the times are turbulent. Three Peking University professors with different temperaments, Gu Hezhen, Lu Bo’an, and Qiu Sanye, are responsible for presiding over the Peking University liberal arts enrollment conference of that year. That night, four unexpected answer sheets are placed in front of them. Admit or not admit? The summer cicadas are restless, and the three professors are also caught in a debate about learning in a peaceful world and becoming adults in a troubled world. In this conversation, the tide of the new world is also surging rapidly or slowly… 【Cast schedule in Shenzhen Station】Actor profiles & creative team He Yufan as Gu Hezhen. Graduated from the School of Architecture of Tsinghua University. Initiator of the public welfare drama platform ‘New Theatre Creation Plan’. Directed works include ‘Trio in E-flat Major’, ‘City within a City, City outside a City’, ‘The Moon of Caligula’, ‘The Truth’, ‘The Bathhouse’, etc.; performed works include ‘Four Sheets of Paper’, ‘Principle’ (Mandarin version), ‘An Inspector Calls’, ‘The Pillowman’, ‘Scenes from a Marriage’, etc. Shao Yipei as Lu Bo’an. Stage actor and voice actor. Graduated from Emory University in the United States. Has appeared in works such as ‘Four Sheets of Paper’, ‘Black Goat’, ‘As You Like It’, ‘I Am a Moon’, ‘Marisol’, ‘My Ideal Life’, ‘Social Image’, etc. Wang Muzhi as Qiu Sanye. Stage actor. Graduated from the Performance Department of Beijing Film Academy. Has appeared in works such as ‘Four Sheets of Paper’, ‘Border Town’, ‘Assassin’, ‘February’, ‘Birdman’, ‘Thunderstorm’, ‘Teahouse’, ‘White Deer Plain’, ‘The Sword of Gallantry’, ‘Death of a Salesman’, ‘The Witches of Salem’, ‘And Then There Were None’, ‘Chaos’, ‘The Earl of Wulong Mountain’.Deng Meng, playing Chen Huiru, is a stage actor who graduated from Boston University. She has appeared in works such as ‘Four Machines,’ ‘Frankenstein,’ ‘Disconnect,’ ‘Cloud Body,’ ‘We Finally Became Adults,’ and movies like ‘Goodbye Class 18’ and ‘Homeward Bound’. Ren Zhenhui, playing Gu Xian, is a stage actor known for roles in ‘Crossing Mountains and Seas,’ ‘Four Machines,’ ‘Principle’ (Mandarin version), ‘Love Regardless of All,’ ‘Shorthand Clerk,’ ‘Daydreaming,’ ‘Blooming,’ and ‘Dragon Soaring Over Lingdingyang.’ Sun Xinyu, playing Ma Shui Xian, is a stage actor who graduated from the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts. He has performed in ‘Crossing Mountains and Seas,’ ‘Before the Court,’ ‘Four Machines,’ ‘Mobile Human Shapes,’ ‘Hey, It’s Me,’ ‘Coffee Shop at 2:30 PM on Saturday,’ ‘Legend of Zhen Huan,’ ‘The Most Beautiful Time,’ ‘Time Travels in a Coffee Box,’ and ‘Western Chamber.’ Zhang Jing, playing Sui Hongfei, is a stage and voice actor who graduated from Zhejiang University of Media and Communications. He has acted in ‘Four Machines’ and ‘Night Train.’ Playwrights: Zhu Hongxuan, Ye Ziling Director: Zhu Hongxuan Producers: Jiang Xinwen, Pan Xiayan, Ren Huiyan, Zheng Xiaojuan Scenic Design: Wang Nan, Zeng Miao, Ma Yifan Music Design: Sun Shuqiao Lighting Design: Lei Lian, Feng Juncheng Stage Supervisor: Liu Jiayi Sound Design: Lu Dingkun Assistant Stage Supervisors: Zhao Yang, Ma Yifan Props Coordination: Jin Xi, Zhu Zhihe, Zhou Ziye Costume and Makeup Coordination: Jin Xi, Fang Wenxin Photography and Videography: Wang Ziyan, Bai Yuzu, He Tian, Wang Meng Promotion and Marketing: Gao YuRu, Liu Bohan, Tan Zejunling, Ni Xiaomeng, Wu Zijin, Li Mengqi, Liu Xiaoyin, Tian Haiyao, Wang Yi, Zhang Liang, Wei Qiao, Teng Yun, Zhou Shitong Art Design: Chen Naibin, Tan Zejunling, Ni Xiaomeng, Bai Yuzu, Gao YuRu, Wang Ziyan, Lin Limei Production Assistant: Xu Yichun Song Performance: Zhu Congran Opera Performance: Guo Xiaohan On January 4, 2025, the drama ‘Four Machines’ by Drama Nine People, the first star of the ‘Republic of China Universe’ series, will be staged at the Shenzhen Binhai Art Center. The full text open time is 01/04, Saturday, with performance times and duration subject to the venue.
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