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Bian Xing Ji Play Poster

《变形记》Bian Xing Ji
at the SARS Stage at Chaoyang 9 Theater

Reviewed by Elyse Ribbons

Sitting in the cheerfully decorated small theater on the 4th floor of the Chaoyang 9 Theater compound, the atmosphere was full of expectations.  The second part in an ongoing series by Director and Playwright Wu Ran, Bian Xing Ji was a delightfully corny exercise in theatrical comedy.  A slapstick commentary on the state of romantic love in modern China, the show began with a critique of the lack of physical social interaction, with the two characters sitting on either side of the stage, forlornly miming a webchat.

This was followed by a brief introduction of how love normally occurs: through Cupid’s arrows.  Arrows which are often not aimed very carefully, as two men who get shot start to grope each other after they are shot, much to the fear, horror and joy of the audience.  So, two other Angels (who are married, incidentally) decide that they are going to give it a shot, literally, and locate a hapless boy and girl who just happen to be wandering through a park at the same time.

I think I'm turning Japanese

Comedic chaos ensues, as the couple, Dingding and Dangdang vehemently deny any attraction towards each other, and demand that the angels let them go.  But, the flamingly exuberant angels try to convince them otherwise with several extended skits.

The first involves the angels going back in time and getting Dingding and Dangdang to fall in love with each other as children, and the audience follows them in their traditionally Chinese misadventures in young love.

After this scenario ends badly, the angels instead try to convince them by pointing out how wonderful and happy a lifetime of marriage could be.  Dingding and Dangdang are then magically “married” and proceed to have a sickeningly sweet cartoon romance relationship, with slow motion overacting and candy-coated voices.

A whole day away from each other at the office has them on the brink of desperation, and tears.  Again, this ends badly, so the angels try once more, with a mockery of a Japanese couple.   The Japanese couple spend so much time in politeness and bowing to each other that they end up never actually having any time to make love.  And several further scenes ensue, with the angels trying pretty much everything to get the couple to fall in love, usually causing much misery for the angels themselves.

Angels of... Love?

While each of the skits were funny in their own way, there were too many of them, and the show ran on just a little too long.  The director is forgiven, as he created one of the most laughed-at theatrical shows that I have seen to date in Beijing.

A show that was more sitcom than romance, it blended a mix of pop-cultural references – no less than 3 direct allusions to scenes from the 2010 Chunjie Wanhui – and movie and film.  The best satires of the evening were undoubtedly the fake advertisements, interrupting the scenes at hilariously inappropriate times.

Overall, it was a lighthearted way to pass an evening.  And the smiles on the faces of the sold-out audience were a positive affirmation of a night well spent, and a play well written (and brilliantly delivered!).

As another audience member put it, “if you’re into modern romance, fashionable trends, and comedy, then you have to like this show.”  According to the Director, their group is planning several other continuations of these themes in future parts of this series.  Definitely worthwhile to check out, though its recommended to bring a Chinese friend along for the show, or you might miss out on a lot of the jokes.