Canada-China Cultural Development Association (CCCDA) presents Beijing People’s Art Theatre in Lao She’s Teahouse – an epic drama of Chinese culture, history, and politics, November 10 & 11 at The Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts. The signature work from one of China’s national theatre companies, the play follows 50-years of turbulent history – from the fall of the Qing Empire in 1898 to the defeat of the Kuomingtang in 1948 – as witnessed within the walls of a Beijing teahouse. Tickets are now on sale at teahousevancouver.com.
“Teahouse was first performed by Beijing People’s Art Theatre in 1958, and it has become one of China’s most iconic plays,” says Rudy Gao, President of the Canada-China Cultural Development Association. “The work was of such acclaim, in fact, that when the company was invited to participate at the Expo 86 World Festival – only six years after the company’s first tour outside China –Teahouse was the work they decided to share. We are thrilled and honoured to mark the 30-year anniversary of Expo with the work’s return to Vancouver, while introducing Teahouse to a new generation of audiences.”
Chronicling the 50-year rise and fall of a teahouse - a hotbed of political discourse, economic turmoil, and social upheaval - the classic drama takes audiences on a whirlwind journey through three seismic shifts in modern Chinese history: to 1898, when reformists failed to strengthen the Qing dynasty; to 1911, at the founding of the Chinese Republic; and to 1948, during the civil war. Each time period offers a window onto the everyday lives of Beijing’s citizens, showcasing the impact of sweeping societal change on an intensely human scale.
Teahouse is performed in Mandarin with English Subtitles.
Beijing People’s Art Theatre presents Teahouse
Date & Time: November 10 & 11, 2016 at 8pm
Ticket prices: From $40 (plus applicable fees)
Address: The Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts 777 Homer Street, Vancouver, BC
Website: teahousevancouver.com