Death of a Salesman'' in Beijing

In 1983 Arthur Miller was invited to direct Death of a Salesman at the Beijing People's Theatre, with Chinese actors. This was an entirely new experience for Miller and for the Chinese company, most of whom had never even heard of 'life insurance' or 'installment payments'. Miller had forty-eight days of rehearsals in which to direct his play and, while there, he kept a diary.
This book tells the fascinating story of Miller's time in China and the paradoxes of directing a tragedy about American capitalism in a Communist country, and features photographs throughout by Inge Morath.

In this edition, Miller's diary is given a contemporary context as the production and process is investigated against the backdrop of twenty-first century China and its theatre, through a new introduction by Claire Conceison, Professor of Theatre Studies at Duke University.

Sommario

Introduction
The Diary

Info autore

Arthur Miller was born in New York City in 1915. After graduating from the University of Michigan, he began work with the Federal Theatre Project. His first Broadway hit was All My Sons, closely followed by Death of a Salesman, The Crucible and A View from the Bridge. His other writing includes Focus, a novel; The Misfits, first published as a short story, then as a cinema novel; In Russia, In the Country, Chinese Encounters (all in collaboration with his wife, photographer Inge Morath) and ‘Salesman’ in Beijing, non-fiction; and his autobiography, Timebends, published in 1987. Among his other plays are: Incident At Vichy, The Creation of the World and Other Business, The American Clock, The Last Yankee, and Resurrection Blues. His novella, Plain Girl, was published in 1995 and his second collection of short stories, Presence, in 2007. He died in February 2005 aged eighty-nine.Claire Conceison is Quanta Professor of Chinese Culture and Professor of Theater Arts at MIT. She is a scholar, translator, and director. Her publications include the books Significant Other: Staging the American in China (2004); Ying Ruocheng’s autobiography Voices Carry: Behind Bars and Backstage During China's Revolution and Reform (2009); the anthology I Love XXX and Other Plays by Meng Jinghui (2017); and the introduction to ‘Death of a Salesman’ in Beijing (2015), a new edition of Arthur Miller’s 1984 book ‘Salesman’ in Beijing. She is a contributor to the volume Arthur Miller for the Twenty-First Century (2020).

Riassunto

In 1983 Arthur Miller was invited to direct Death of a Salesman at the Beijing People's Theatre, with Chinese actors. This was an entirely new experience for Miller and for the Chinese company, most of whom had never even heard of 'life insurance' or 'installment payments'. Miller had forty-eight days of rehearsals in which to direct his play and, while there, he kept a diary.
This book tells the fascinating story of Miller's time in China and the paradoxes of directing a tragedy about American capitalism in a Communist country, and features photographs throughout by Inge Morath.

In this edition, Miller’s diary is given a contemporary context as the production and process is investigated against the backdrop of twenty-first century China and its theatre, through a new introduction by Claire Conceison, Professor of Theatre Studies at Duke University.

Prefazione

A new edition of Arthur Miller's account of his time in China in 1983, directing a production of Death of a Salesman. It is published here as a new edition with an introduction that considers this production's impact on American theatre in China as well as how Miller's work is received and critiqued in China in the twenty-first century.

Testo aggiuntivo

It is not just a record of a slightly eccentric theatrical venture. It ranges back to the author's experience as a liberal in postwar America; and forward to thoughts about China . . . This is a memorable book, full of observation and fun to read.

Dettagli sul prodotto

• Autori: Arthur Miller
• Editore: Methuen Drama
• Lingue: Inglese
• Formato: Copertina rigida
• Pubblicazione: 08.10.2015
• EAN: 9781472592088
• ISBN: 978-1-4725-9208-8
• Pagine: 264
• Serie: Student Editions; Theatre Makers; Theatre Makers
• Categorie: Narrativa > Poesia lirica, drammatica; Scienze umane, arte, musica > Arte > Teatro, balletto