Peking University: May 8, 2017: On May 7, 2017, the final of the 2016-2017 PKU Drama Talent Contest was successfully held at Peking University Hall. Altogether four brilliant original plays from four crews were put on stage, making up the unforgettable night. The Fifth Pier by Save the Children Crew won the championship and Mind Wandering by TNB Crew ranked the second.
The first play, entitled An Obscure Official, is set in ancient China. With their unique sense of humor, the Crew Without a Knife presented to the audience an interrupted murder of an infamous official, during which the past conflicts between officials and local people were revealed. The topics of revenge and justice, drenched with Chinese wuxia style, attracted all the audience. Xu Huaxuan, playing the role of Mr. Gui with his faultless performance, won the award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
The Stage Photo of An Obscure Official
The Fifth Pier, presented by Save the Children Crew, is with no doubt the biggest winner of this year, which took home seven awards including Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Director, Best Original Play and Best Stage Effect. It is a realistic play set in a country in southwestern China. From the Down to the Countryside Movement in the 1950s, to the Reform and Opening-Up in the 1970s, the unique historical background determines the tragic fates of the roles. The play presented to the audience how the fates of four innocent teenagers and their friendship were transformed and distorted in the massive vicissitudes of the society, and boldly unfolded the destruction to individuals caused by prejudice and arbitrariness of the masses. Through the touching confession and strong accusation perfectly performed by Zhou Jia, Jiang Zhanyao, and Li Yinghui, audience empathized with the struggle and desperation of the hero and heroine.
The Stage Photo of The Fifth Pier
The Gun and Power Bank Crew then presented their original play Pearl Street No. 3. Through the play, the crew tries to express there are infinite possibilities underlying human nature, and we can better comprehend different ways of living by dramas that tell various stories.
The Stage Photo of Pearl Street No. 3
The last play, entitled Mind Wandering, was presented by TNB Crew—a crew composed of both students and teachers. In a creative way of personifying organs in the body, the play presented the obstacles to the communication between a twenty-year-old girl and her father in his forties. Compared with the three previous ones, the style of this play was rather domestic and easy, bringing some fresh air to the audience. However, this feature of form did not reduce a bit of the profound thinking of this play. By the unique symbolism, the audience, especially teenagers, were invoked to reflect upon the necessity and proper way of communicate with parents.
The Stage Photo of Mind Wandering
Thanks to the direction of Peking University Youth League Peking University Committee and the host of PKU Student Union, every year at this time, a groups of youth have the chance to come up to stage, making their voice heard and fulfilling their dream, and hundreds more students interested in drama are provided with a magical night composed of perfect performance and excellent thoughts.
Reported by: Fu Wenyun, Wang Xi
Photographed by: Li Xinyan
Edited by: Zhang Jiang
