Contemporary Chinese Theatre

Chinese theatre underwent a great experiment under the cultural revolution. Using the reformed Beijing operas as models, the whole range of theatre arts, from straight plays to acrobatics and from ballet to ballads saw a profound transformation. Alongside the professional theatre, an upsurge of workers' and peasants' amateur theatre stimulated new developments.

This book, first published in 1978, sketches the historical background to these changes and offers a factual survey of the main forms and characteristics of Chinese theatre at the time. It traces the rise of the new drama since 1949 and explores the political principles underlying the reforms. It examines the new amateur theatre and describes typical plays and operas staged in China.

List of contents

1. Historical Background 2. The Forms of Theatre 3. Characteristics of Contemporary Chinese Theatre 4. The Plays of 1949-65 5. Cultural Revolution in the Theatre, and After 6. New Workers’ and Peasants’ Amateur Theatre 7. New Professional Productions 8. Conclusion and Trends for the Future

About the author

Roger Howard

Summary

This book, first published in 1978, sketches the historical background to the changes Chinese theatre underwent under the cultural revolution. It traces the rise of the new drama since 1949 and explores the political principles underlying the reforms.

Product details

• Authors: Roger Howard, Howard Roger
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 15.10.2023
• EAN: 9780367771539
• ISBN: 978-0-367-77153-9
• No. of pages: 144
• Series: Routledge Library Editions: Chinese Literature and Arts
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > General and comparative literary studies; Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Geosciences > Geography; Social sciences, law, business > Sociology > Sociological theories; POETRY / General, Poetry, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Sociology / General, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Regional Studies, Society & culture: general, Regional Studies, Regional / International studies, Society and culture: general, Poetry / Poems