Chen Shu and Sun Chun in the TV series “Theater.” (Photo : Netease Arts)
“Theater,” a 34-episode series written by bestselling writer Yan Geling, recently made an impact on Chinese TV.
The play, starring Sun Chun and Chen Shu, has become a hit among middle-aged Chinese.
The 57-year-old Chinese-American writer said that the TV series was inspired by the real-life story of her mother, Jia Lin, a veteran theater actress.
"During my childhood, I always lingered at the theater where my mother worked. I had witnessed the entire process of making a drama, from rehearsals to performers wearing their makeup. It made me fascinated," Yan said in an interview.
"Theater" revolves around the life of a struggling theater star, who after being framed by a younger rival, decides to walk out of the situation and follow her dreams in Beijing.
"It is my way of paying tribute to elderly Chinese artists," she said, adding that theater reflects the "diversity of humanity."
The TV series, which airs during primetime, was first shown on Beijing Satellite TV on June 10.
Directed by Yang Wenjun, the setting of the TV series shows a remote town in China during the 1980s.
As a self-confessed fan of dramas, Yan said that they made "pretty high-level" art, adding that she is considering writing a drama screenplay as well.
The Shanghai-born author has published nearly 50 novels and novellas in English and Chinese. Some of her novels have been translated in many other languages, such as Dutch, French, Spanish and Japanese.
Sun and Chen, the series’ leading artists, are also members of the National Theater of China.
"It inspires me to better understand older artists,” said Chen.
