The Yellow Storm is a full-length novel about average people’s lives and resistance against aggression in Beiping (former name of Beijing). Mr. LAO She considered this novel to be the “longest and possibly the best of all of his writings”. Other literati think of it as “one of the top 100 Chinese novels published in the 20th Century”. Its literary, artistic, ideological and social value is higher than that of other novels by him, including The Teahouse and Rickshaw Boy. Furthermore, it is honoured as “a literary classic worth reading by every generation of Chinese people and national memory worth cherishing by every Chinese person.” By adopting the “neorealism” technique, Director TIAN Qinxin almost copies “Little Sheep Fold” Hutong in west Beijing to the stage. Even the scenes of that time, including the courtyards and indoor layouts of the QI Family, the GUAN Family and QIAN Family, and the Hutongs nearby, are presented on stage by a technique, starting an interaction with the performers in unfolding a picture scroll of life in which Beijingers suffer hardships, exercise patience and struggle hard during the eight-year war of resistance against Japan, reproducing the Beijing people’s everyday life. From a cultural standpoint dedicated to telling a Chinese story, with a cultural attitude and confidence in offering influential works to the people, outstanding performers at the National Theatre of China have been called together to stage this grand “epic of average people.”
At the end of October 2010, The Yellow Storm was premiered resoundingly in Taiwan, China, with all seats occupied. Deeply moved by the “cultural aroma of old Beijing and humanity of the times” shown in The Yellow Storm, the audience said with emotion that they “saw a living history”. The Yellow Storm also became the “first drama of Mainland China to be staged in Taiwan, China”. Later, this story, presenting joys, sorrows, honours and disgraces that took place in “Little Sheep Fold” Hutong during the period of Anti-Japanese war, was staged in more than forty cities and regions such as Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Taipei, Hong Kong and Macau. The Yellow Storm was sought after wherever it was performed and as an epic of average people with the linguistic charm unique to Mr. LAO She’s writings, it conquered an audience of about 300 thousand across the country. Not only is The Yellow Storm well-liked by audiences, but it has also carried off many grand awards, including the Excellent Drama Award at the National Festival of Excellent Plays from Art Theatres and Troupes in 2011, China Golden Lion Award for Drama in 2012, and “Excellent Drama Award” at the 14th Wenhua Award.
Creative
Executive Presenter: ZHUGE Yannan
Executive Producers: GE Dali, BAI Xuefeng, TIAN Qinxin, WEN Guojiu
Consultants: SHU Ji, SHU Yi
Literary Advisor: ZHENG Wanlong
Academic Adviser: HAN Yuhai
Drama Interpretation: YANG Qian
Original Author: LAO She
Playwrights: TIAN Qinxin, AN Ying
Director: TIAN Qinxin
Managing Producer: LI Dong
Set Designers: XUE Dianjie, WANG Hanyi
Lighting Designer: WANG Ruiguo
Costume Designer: ZHAO Yan
Hair-style Designer: HE Yalin
Audio Designer: ZHOU Tao
Composer: ZHANG Wei
Props Designer: WANG Pu
Deputy Designer: SUN Xiaoming
Stage Manager: CHEN Long
Production Coordinators/Performance Coordinators: Laoxiang, WANG Mian
Publicity Coordinator: LIU Mengni
Photographers: CAO Zhigang, LI Yan
Cast
Narrators: LIU Jinshan, TONG Dawei, GUO Jinglin
QI Family
Old Master QI: HOU Yansong, CAO Li, MA Yingchun
QI Tianyou: JIN Dazhong
QI Tianyou’s Wife: XUAN Yi
QI Ruixuan: XU Wei
YUN Mei: JIANG Muyuanjian
QI Ruifeng: LIU Zhe
Pangjuzi: TAO Hong / YANG Chen
QI Ruiquan: LIN Danuo / GAO Ang
Xiaoniuzi: CUI Feimingyue
GUAN Family
GUAN Xiaotang: XIN Baiqing / WU Bi / JI Chenmu
Dachibao: QIN Hailu / SHI Yueling / JIANG Jiaqi
YOU Tongfang: L Jing / WANG Mijia
GUAN Gaoce: TIAN Weining
GUAN Zhaodi: CHEN Yuting
QIAN Family
QIAN Moyin: MA Ang
QIAN Moyin’s Wife: CHEN Qi
QIAN Moyin’s Son: ZHANG Jiaqi
QIAN Moyin's Daughter-in-Law: QIAO Yunxia
Xiaoyangjuan Hutong
LI Siye: CHEN Qiang
LI Sinai: LI Wenling
XIAO Cui: WU Zhexuan
XIAO Cui’s Wife: XUAN Yi
Grandmother MA: XIE Lin
CHENG Changshun: GU Zi
Inspector BAI: ZOU Yizheng
Xiaowen: ZHANG Jiaqi
Xiaowen’s Wife: QIAO Yunxia
LI Kongshan: DENG Yang
LAN Dongyang: GUO Ben
Rickshaw Boy: LI Bei
Rickshaw Boy: JIANG Hao
Rickshaw Boy: LU Jiabei
Rickshaw Boy: TU Feihong
Japanese Woman: QIAO Yunxia
Old Japanese Woman: YANG Chen / CHEN Qi
The above information, including performance times, lineups and ticket prices, is subject to change without prior notice and is for reference only.
A cannon is fired on Lugou Bridge in 1937, kicking off the all-out Sino-Japanese War, and disrupting the peaceful life in “Little Sheep Fold” Hutong, Beiping. In troubled times, industrious and honest average citizens have their lives getting worse and worse. Some of the people are a rickshaw boy CUI, amateur opera performers WEN and his wife, warm-hearted Mr. LI, CHENG Changshun, who has his grandmother as his only relative….They are different from one another in experiences, but they all are deprived of their most basic dignity and hope.
Poet QIAN Moyin, who is indifferent to fame and wealth and lives in harmony with the rest of the world, becomes homeless with all his family members killed in the war. However, this intellectual throws away his cowardice and laziness and becomes a courageous fighter.
In contrast, some opportunists choose to scramble for power and profit in those turbulent days. GUAN Xiaohe and her husband Dachibao are an example. They lead a prosperous life, which is, however, not recognized by the rest members of the GUAN family.
The QI Family is the most honest and even-tempered family in “Little Sheep Fold” Hutong. Faced with turmoil, members of the QI Family take different stands. Mr. QI’s third grandson Ruiquan has gone out to battle and there is no news of him; second grandson Ruifeng finds a cushy job in the government at the instigation of his wife; eldest grandson Ruixuan is a middle school English teacher, who is anguished at not being able to “fulfill his filial duty” and “pledge loyalty to the country”. When struggling mentally, he and his wife Yunmei work to support the whole family. Can Mr. QI hold on to his dream of having four generations live under one roof and celebrate his 80th birthday? That’s what he is most concerned about in his last days.