'Skylight' casts light on modern love
The play stars Zuolin Dramatic Arts Awards winners Zhou Yemang (right) and Xie Chengying (left).
The Chinese version of the widely acclaimed play “Skylight” will be staged at the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center until July 7.
On a cold evening when Kyra Hollis, a middle-school teacher of underprivileged children, receives an unexpected visit from her former lover Tom Sergeant, a successful restaurateur. His wife has recently died from cancer. Tom attempts to rekindle their love, but they gradually find that they have opposing ideals.
Written by British dramatist David Hare, money, class, politics and love are themes touched on in the play.
"It's a feature of so-called advanced societies," the playwright said in an interview, "that anyone who does the dirty work of caring for others — policemen, teachers, social workers, nurses — is undervalued and often feels aggrieved at it. At the same time, the West has been pumping out propaganda about the value of 'wealth creators.' These are people who used to just be called 'the rich.' The play is built along a fault line between those two cultures."
The Chinese version of “Skylight” is directed by Claudia Stavisky, the French director who cooperated with Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center on “Blackbird,” in which a young woman meets a middle-aged man 15 years after he sexually abused her.
“Skylight” stars Zhou Yemang and Xie Chengying, both Zuolin Dramatic Arts Awards winners.
Premiering in 1995 in London, the play won the 1996 Laurence Olivier Award.
Performance info
Date: Through July 7, 7:30pm (2pm on Sunday)
Tickets: 180-380 yuan
Tel: 5465 6200
Venue: Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center
Address: 288 Anfu Rd
