Drama Top Restaurant

Venue: National Centre for the Performing Arts - Theatre

Dates: Jul. 13, 2013-Jul. 21, 2013

Price: VIP/680/580/480/320/200 RMB

About

Production: Beijing People's Art Theatre

Playwright: He Jiping

Directors: Xia Chun, Gu Wei

Design: Huang Qingze, Fang Kunlin, Yan Xiumin, Feng Qin, Wang Hongyi

Cast: Yang Lixin, Wang Changli, Yue Xiuqing, Wang Danian, Ban Zan, Sun Dachuan, etc.

Top Restaurant is another realism drama classic masterpiece produced by Beijing People's Art Theatre after its sucessful The Teahouse. The drama tells the vicissitudes of the time-honored restaurant 'Fujude' in Beijing in the early 20th century, reflects the splendid food culture of the Chinese nation, and showcases all kinds of feelings flying around in the process of storytelling. The show was widely praised by the audience from all walks of life, and repeatedly won the national awards.

Presenter

Beijing People's Art Theatre

Beijing People's Art Theatre is a national theater with unique performance style. Built on June 12th, 1952, it was first headed by Cao Yu, the great dramatist in China. Since its foundation, there are nearly 300 plays of different forms and styles put up here. The representative plays include Hufu, Cai Wenji, Wu Zetian, Longxugou Ditch, Camel Xiangzi, Tea House, Thunderstorm, Sunrise, Wang Zhaojun, Absolute Signal, Xiaojing Hutong, and so on. Of them, more than one play has been performed over 100 times, and won national 'Wenhua Award (for professional theatrical artworks)', 'the Best Works Award' and municipal 'Gold Chrysanthemum Award' and 'Literature & Art Award'.

Over the past half century, the performances by Beijing People's Art Theater have spread all over the country, and the theatre's distinctive 'performance style' has taken root in the mass audience. In 1980, Tea House was performed in Germany, France and Switzerland, which is the first time for Chinese stage play to go abroad. Following that, a series of plays were performed in Japan, Canada, Singapore, South Korea, Egypt, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau, including Tea House, Wang Zhaojun, Top Restaurant, Death of a Salesman, Uncle Goggie's Nirvana, Bird Man, Ruan Lingyu, Curio, and Wuchang Nvdiao.

Synopsis

Time-honored roast duck shop 'Fujude' was established in the reign of Emperor Tongzhi in the Qing Dynasty. In the early Republic period, the old shopkeeper Tang Deyuan retires for sickness and the shop is handed over to his two sons. But the two young men are not interested in the business; the elder son is absorbed in Peking Opera while the younger son is rapt in martial arts, making the shop inadequate to meet the expense. Vice shopkeeper Wang Zixi recommends his best friend Lu Mengshi for managing the shop.　

Naturally intelligent Lu Mengshi vows to give full play to his abilities. In face of the crisis-ridden Fujude, he racks his brains, and finally the old house turns into a two-story building. On top of instant solutions, Lu Mengshi's lover, prostitute Yuchu, outstanding chef Luo Datou and lobby head Chang Gui also play the important and pivotal role.