For the love of Lao She

"Fang borrowed methods of traditional Chinese operas to present the play, simple and abstract. He tells the story by using a number of different methods, such as monologues, conversations and pingshu (a traditional Chinese art form of storytelling).

"Fang, as a director, also breaks the wall between people on the stage and the audience," he adds." For example, my first line will be recited while standing in the audience. I will ask questions and the audience members will improvise their responses."

A live band will be featured in the play. Three traditional Chinese musical instruments, bamboo flute, xiao (an end-blown bamboo flute) and sanxian (a three-stringed plucked musical instrument), will be used to paint a musical portrait of old Beijing, as well as reflecting the inner world of the characters.

Divorce is not the first work of Lao She that Fang has adapted. The Beijing native, in his 50s, who graduated from the directing department at the Central Academy of Drama, started adapting the author's works in 2011.