Being a leading theater director in recent years, Meng Jinghui 孟京辉 stirs up a storm of "experimental drama" in China with his continuous efforts in the field. To some extent, his name has become synonymous with "avant-garde" and "alternative", but his plays have also been very popular in the small theaters in Beijing, which enhances Meng's reputation of being both popular and avant-garde.
Meng has created and directed more than ten plays. The most influential ones include "Comrade Ah Q", "Waiting for Godot", "Accidental Death of An Anarchist", "Rhinoceros in Love", "Si Fan", "The Balcony", "I Love XXX", and "Bootleg Faust," etc.
However, as one of the most innovative theater director in China, Meng is not satisfied with what he has achieved but endeavors to explore something new in every new production. "We can't hold on to the past. We should always try new things. Only when you make changes can you make progress." Meng noted.
In addition to the new ideas in all of his plays, he employs a lot of techniques that were rarely used on stage before, which is also an integral part of his experimentation. Electronic music, dazzling lighting and innovative stage settings were all introduced to his plays in an effort to impress the audience both mentally and visually.
Meng's editions of universally acclaimed plays are also with his own distinct features. He is well known for making changes and adjustments to the play, often on a daily basis. "Bootleg Faust", one of his latest stage creations, has been transported to modern-day China and adapted accordingly, which is an ambitious adaptation on the basis of the German classic. Well known for weaving contemporary events and trends into his plays, Meng also employs a lot of Beijing dialects in "Accidental Death of An Anarchist", which makes the play much more vivid with Chinese characteristics.
Meng seeks drama topics from real life and often finds some originally vigorous people growing old very quickly and being beaten down by life. On the stage, he tries to express bravery and perseverance, so as to convey the strength of the life force. His wife Liao Yimei, also his classmate in the Central Academy of Drama, has been helping him greatly, and has written a considerable number of Meng's works.
Anyway, his plays are no stranger to controversy. But it definitely has a positive impact on the development of drama. The diversity of styles has injected creativity and vigor into the field.
