In December 2012, as the finale to celebrate the 5^th anniversary of the founding of NCPA, a classic drama Returning Home on a Snowy Night by  Mr. Wu Zuguang was staged, harvested wide acclaim from both professional critics and ordinary audience. The year 2013 marks the 10^th anniversary of the passing-away of Mr. Wu Zuguang, and the original cast of the drama is regrouping to commemorate the playwriting master.  

On April 12^th, NCPA held a press conference for the second round show of the drama. The Executive Producer Mr. Guan Bo, Director Mr. Ren Ming, and the leading cast Mr. Feng Yuanzheng, Ms. Liang Danni, and Ms. Cheng Lisha, as well as Mr. Wu Huan, the son of the playwright all showed up to promote the drama's second round show. 

Feng Yuanzheng as the sophisticated chief justice Su Hongji
Photo by Xiao Yi 

Cheng Lisha is confident to impress the audience again with her interpretation of pure love
Photo by Xiao Yi 

The drama that premiered splendidly is coming back with honour 

Returning Home on a Snowy Night is a drama with strong conflicts. Underneath its exquisitely decorated love story and dreams, what Mr. Wu really tried to embody is the pursuit of independent personality and freedom of life for the ordinary people. The dream of love, youth and ideality intertwine in the drama and possesses power that shocks the audience. The NCPA's production of Returning Home on a Snowy Night, with its realistic and smooth story-telling, unaffected and implicit artistic style, and delicate and ingenious ending, deeply touched the audience from different age groups with different cultural background after its first round of performance. 

A red-clad Wei Liansheng dancing against the white snow in the end
Photo by Gao Shang 

Xiao Fuxing, a renowned writer commented after watching the drama, "The drama is not superficially beautiful, and I would like to compare it to an old costume: ragged as it is, it embodies the operatic spirit. Especially at the ending, the Peking Opera actor Liansheng is frozen to death. But in the canopy, he revives and dances in red against the snow with a folding fan, and it was really touching." The famous director Wang Yansong commented, "The plot is clear, the artistic style is both realistic and poetic, and the rhythm control is masterful." Drama Lecturer Ding Mingyong of the Communication University of China wrote, "The drama impressed me as lively and touching, and it left a tinge of sadness in me." The daughter of the playwright, Ms. Wu Shuang, also a famous coloratura soprano in China, said, "My father revised the drama several times, especially the ending, I appreciate that NCPA chose the original version, because it puts more emphasis onto humanity, and it is poetic." 

The original cast regrouped to commemorate the drama master 

The creative team of the drama boasts of the best Chinese directors, drama and film actors including famous director Mr. Ren Ming, outstanding actors and actresses like Mr. Feng Yuanzheng, Mr. Yu Shaoqun, Ms. Cheng Lisha, Ms. Liang Danni etc, and they work together to showcase a classic drama that is both aesthetically beautiful and dramatically tense.    

At the press conference, Mr. Ren Ming, the actors and actresses all expressed happiness and expectation for the second round show. Ren said, "I have always considered the drama as one of the rare ones that can compare with classics like Thunderstorm and Tea House. Actually, since I began to direct the drama last year, I have set my feet onto a journey of fulfilling a dream of 30 years. Now that the dream is extended, I will bring to the audience a more refined drama." 

The couple, Mr. Feng Yuanzheng and Ms. Liang Danni will play the chief justic Su Hongji and Aunt Ma respectively, which is truly subversive performance for them. The gracious and modest Feng acts as the arrogant and aggressive Su, who deftly maneuvers the fate of people around him. Feng said, "I portray this character to break the stereotype people hold towards the bureaucrats and capitalists in old times. Su appears to be flamboyant, but he has an intricate inner world, which is hard to grasp for an actor. I tried to merge myself with the character in the first round, and I am closer to success now." Liang acts as Aunt Ma who lives in a Beijing alleyway, the ragged character differs a lot from her fashionable self in real life. But Liang, with her impeccable acting skills, portrays the character successfully. 

During the first round of performance, the Peking Opera actor played by Mr. Yu Shaoqun was strikingly beautiful, especially at the ending he danced in red against the snow. Yu regretted not being able to attend the press conference because he was taking a part in a new film outside Beijing. Though he was wildly acclaimed after the first round, he kept it low key and told our reporter. "The drama was my debut as a drama performer, and I didn't expect to get so much recognition as well as encouragement. I have always been reflecting on my performance in the first round and I will work harder this time." 

The son of the Playwright, Mr. Wu Huan, also a famous calligrapher and painter, said at the press conference, "April marks the 10^th anniversary of the passing-away of my father and 15^th anniversary of the passing-away of my mother. Their lives were full of up and downs, but their fame and achievement look more conspicuous for that." I would like to thank NCPA for staging the rarely staged drama at this time, for I think it is the best way to commemorate my parents. 

The drama's second round show will be on stage from April 25^th to May 4^th.