Dramatic monologue

With the support of Lao She's children, including Shu Yi and Lao She's daughter Shu Ji, Fang adapted two more of the writer's well-known novels, Divorce and Cat Country, for the stage between 2012 and 2014.

In 2016, he adapted Lao She's novel, Mr Ma and Son, into an all-male cast stage production of the same title, which largely draws on Lao She's experience as a Mandarin teacher at the University of London from 1924 to 1929. Last year, he directed another all-male cast play titled Lao She's Six Stories, based on six short stories penned by the writer between 1934 and 1935, which deal with the struggles and lives of ordinary people, depicting the plight of a young couple living a hand-to-mouth existence and the relationships between local neighbors.

Fang is working on his latest play, The Story of Niu Tianci, which was written by Lao She in 1934.

"Compared with Lao She's other works, The Story of Niu Tianci is less well-known. But Shu Ji likes it very much and it's a pity to ignore such a great novel," he says. "The story is about a young man's struggle against his social environment, and I am sure that audiences will find the story interesting and connect with it. I am very excited about it."

Contact the writer at chennan@chinadaily.com.cn