He Bing: The "cost" power of the previous wave. On View | Cost | He Bing
"Arthur Miller's greatness lies in the power of his words to travel through time and space. Every time we face life, we are constantly making active or passive choices." From June 20th to 23rd, actor He Bing's self directed and self performed Arthur Miller's work "Cost" will be performed at the Shanghai Grand Theatre.
From "Birdman" to "Wotouhuiguan", from "Teahouse" to "Sadness in Comedy", He Bing has portrayed numerous deeply ingrained characters on the stage of Beijing People's Art Theatre. In 2018, He Bing faced the audience for the first time as a director and released a self directed and self performed play called "Stranger". After a gap of 5 years, he had his second self directed and self performed play "The Cost".
Arthur Miller's reflections on family, life, personal choices, and moral responsibility are condensed in "The Price": Victor Franz interrupted his college education to become a police officer to support his father who was devastated by the stock market crash. More than 30 years later, the old house will be demolished, and Victor will return to sell his parents' inheritance. His wife Esther, brother Walter, and shrewd furniture merchant Solomon each have their own plans.
In the Bilibili promotional video "The Back Wave", He Bing praises the "back wave" of contemporary young people and laments that each generation is not as good as the previous wave. In Shanghai this time, He Bing also shared the cost of all the choices made along the way.
There will be a cost if there is a choice
At Beijing People's Art Theatre, He Bing has always starred in Beijing style dramas. He chose to direct and act in both "Stranger" and "Cost" scripts written by foreign screenwriters about family and affection. "I am not lacking in traditional themed dramas, so when I create my own dramas, I want to try themes with relatively few opportunities. What people lack, what they like to add."
On the News: Why did you think of directing and starring in "The Cost"?
He Bing: In September last year, producer Ahui gave me "The Price". I can't hold onto the script. I have never had such a strong impulse to make a play. The screenwriter Arthur Miller of "The Price" is Jewish, who values family, kinship, and family very much like us Chinese people. The audience has a common emotional connection. On the surface, discussing the price of a house of old furniture in "The Cost" seems to be something we are willing to discuss, which can impress the audience.
As the plot develops, the audience will find that no one on stage is really interested in price, and the stories seen from the perspectives of the older brother, younger brother, and younger siblings are different. In the eyes of my younger brother, their home is full of happiness; In my brother's eyes, this family has no love at all. Everyone's interpretation is surprisingly vastly different.
Looking at the news: "The Cost" is one of Arthur Miller's representative works, what attracted you to it?
He Bing: I have been in this industry for many years and have also been exposed to some scripts. I have a rough understanding of the writing skills of screenwriters. Not long after Solomon, the furniture dealer in the play, took the stage, he mentioned his daughter. As a professional playwright, when you read a script for the first time, you need to be careful. This is where the screenwriter has articles to write. He won't write for nothing, and an old man won't suddenly mention his daughter. She will gradually reveal herself.
"The Cost" seems to explore material things, but in fact, it is more about spiritual emotions. In the drama, everyone wants perfection, but no one is perfect. At the end of the entire drama, my younger brother and brother started fighting. This is Arthur Miller's writing as a master, he does not follow human subjective will to fulfill the wish of a happy moon. The result of choice is the cost, which must be borne and is unlikely to change.
Looking at the news: rehearsing "The Cost", do you have any insights to share with the audience?
He Bing: Choosing is such a difficult thing. Is there a perfect choice? I personally don't think so. The brother I played is a winner, always living for himself. But is there really no hole in his heart? Living for oneself cannot live for family. The younger brother in the drama lives for others, so he is in a mess in material life.
In the context of rapid economic development, there is a profound discussion in "The Cost" on how to face life and family, choose ourselves or choose family, or how to balance and coordinate.
Looking at the news: As a director, how does He Bing build a team for "The Cost"?
He Bing: There are a total of four actors in "The Cost", including me, Zhou Shuai, and He Jing, from Beijing People's Art Theatre; Feng Wenjuan, who plays the role of younger siblings, is an actor we hired from outside. We have worked together on the TV drama "Sesame Alley" and our collaboration was quite good.
Due to my significant investment in this script, I am often the only one chattering incessantly. The three actors blindly believe in me and basically listen to me. We didn't know the premiere time when we started comparing the lyrics and drawing stage art. I only had one idea at the time, no matter what, I had to figure out the trick first. During the rehearsal, all the theaters I contacted told me that it's not possible right now. In December of last year, suddenly one day, a person from the National Grand Theatre called me and asked if the play was still in line. I said it was still in line, so both sides agreed to premiere in January this year. "The Cost" accompanied me through the most difficult years of last year, and I have been immersed in my work.
Looking at the news: When it comes to stage practice, do you worry too much about it?
He Bing: Honesty is very important in making a drama. "The Cost" takes place in an old house with a pile of furniture inside. Some crew members may offer some discounts on props, but we really don't have them. The crew is always looking for furniture. In "The Cost", it is written that the furniture on three floors is placed in one room, and we follow the script requirements to "stack" enough furniture on the stage. The iconic props such as the harp, sword, gloves, and mom's skirt are the keys for the audience to open the theater.
Freedom cannot be separated from conditions
In early June, "Orphan Zhao" directed by He Bing just came to an end. He works at the People's Art Theatre at 1 pm every day and goes home at 2 am the next day, enjoying it tirelessly. "A group of children were exhausted from rehearsals, and I am the most energetic person in the group. If working 13 hours a day is hard work, then I paid the price. But these 13 hours are the source of joy in my heart."
Watching the news: While performing "The Cost", you are also directing "Zhao's Orphan" for a young actor at the Beijing People's Art Theatre. After being an actor for so long, why did you become a director for both shows at once?
He Bing: 20 years ago, I played Cheng Ying in director Lin Zhaohua's "Zhao Family Orphan". In recent years, Beijing People's Art Theatre has launched a program to cultivate young actors. I feel that following the old path is not interesting, so it's better to rehearse "Zhao Family Orphans" again.
Mr. Lin Zhaohua has had a particularly significant impact on my career in the entertainment industry. I hope to pass on his performance concept and approach in "The Orphan of Zhao" to young people. He removed all the modal particles such as "mommy" and "yes" from the performance, kept the language pure, and cut off the character's thinking process. Thinking about something for a long time, if it's serious, it's actually ineffective at all. The so-called psychological processes that actors like to add are all pretending to know how to act.
Looking at the news: This rehearsal of "Zhao's Orphan" originated from the professional assessment of young actors by Beijing People's Art Theatre. Now that it has become a complete play, will the actors feel pressure?
He Bing: At first, the theater assigned me the task of rehearsing a few clips of "The Orphan of Zhao". As an old actor, I have an unshirkable responsibility. But I found that "The Orphan of Zhao" cannot be done as a separate segment. It is written in a way that is not like a drama, but rather like a movie script, and no part of it can be removed. If removed, the audience will not be able to understand.
"The Orphan of Zhao" requires actors to perform very aggressively. If the plot is not laid out and the story is not told, the audience will not understand and will not know why the character's reaction is intense. It's not like Shakespeare's play, it can be arranged in segments. Shakespeare's work consists of a long and nutritious monologue. "The Orphan of Zhao" relies on the plot to be stacked step by step, and it must be fully arranged.
Looking at the news: Beijing People's Art Theatre, a time-honored brand, is welcoming more and more young people. As a newcomer, do you think they should strive in which direction?
He Bing: Beijing People's Art Theatre is a very traditional theater, with a rich and nutritious tradition.
Drama may not be as vivid, but let me give an example of traditional Chinese opera: Peking Opera has a complete set of programmatic performances, including singing, recitation, hitting, hand, eye, body movements, and steps. Programmatization sounds like a derogatory term, meaning stagnation and protection, but in fact, it is not. The Chinese opera program summarizes all the beauty of human beings, standing, sitting, lying, and moving, all of which have been embellished and beautified, making it the most beautiful way of expression on stage.
An industry cannot wait for the birth of the four great masters. How many years will it take for such people to have one? Masters don't often have them, everyone needs to eat, so the seniors summarized a whole set of programmatic performances. As long as they perform in this way, the industry can continue.
The same is true of Beijing People's Art Theatre. We have a whole set of performance methods. Now we need to explore how to stimulate new performances. We can't always play the same plays. When rehearsing "The Orphan of Zhao", I deeply felt that every young actor has excellent qualities that need to be inspired. It's because sunlight, soil, and fertilizer are not enough, not because there are no seeds.
Looking at the news: You once said that during rehearsals, young actors are given free space to follow their emotions.
He Bing: I said that, but don't forget, freedom cannot do without conditions, there is no absolute freedom. You can play billiards whatever you want, but you must hit it. Driving must comply with traffic rules in order to have the freedom to drive.
Young actors require strong basic skills, which are a condition for free performance. There are more and more actors, so many people are competing, and your basic skills are not good. Why should you act? Regardless of which university's performance major students graduate in four years, after six or eight years of training, they are almost done. Even if they are a bit clumsy, they will pass the technical level in ten years. The performance difficulties that stand in our minds have always been a concept, otherwise how can we say "take a step back and open the sky"? The most important thing is to dispel the confusion in your heart.
On the news: Zhou Shuai starred in "Zhao Family Orphan" and played your younger brother in "Price". Why did you repeatedly choose him as the protagonist?
He Bing: I participate in the recruitment interview for the People's Art Theatre every year. When Zhou Shuai took the exam, I was the examiner. I like mentally healthy children. Zhou Shuai grew up in a loving family, with extremely healthy psychology and not so many twists and turns. He lives a sunny life and will always be happy for a little thing, hahaha. He's a silly kid.
In "The Price", my younger brother He Jing plays the merchant Solomon, and Zhou Shuai plays my younger brother because he is more suitable for his age and I think he is more handsome.
Watching news: Drama tests the long-term accumulation of actors and requires them to perform one after another. Is the current stage still a lonely industry?
He Bing: A very small number of actors have the opportunity to shoot movies and TV dramas, while most actors are still lonely and have to work hard starting from small roles. When you join a theater troupe with a fine tradition like Beijing People's Art Theatre and receive the best training, you are very happy and lucky. How to make oneself live better is another matter. So this is another process of choosing and bearing the cost.
I won't tell motivational stories
Before the age of 36, He Bing won all important stage awards, including two Drama Plum Blossom Awards and the Leading Actor Award at the Shanghai Magnolia Drama Performance Art Awards. In the field of film and television, He Bing is also like a fish in water. "Full of Love in a Courtyard" won him the Feitian Award for Outstanding Male Actor and the Shanghai TV Festival Magnolia Award for Best Actor.
On the news: The opening of this year's Shanghai International Television Festival is approaching, and the competition for the Magnolia Award is becoming increasingly fierce year by year. You have won the Best Actor of the Magnolia Award, nominated the Best Supporting Actor, and served as a judge in 2020. What kind of actors do you think can win the award?
He Bing: I believe in the fairness of the Magnolia Award. It's not a matter of face when it comes to the evaluation process. In the 2020 review, each judge received a portable hard drive filled with candidate works and watched all representative episodes of a drama. The film is as vast as a sea of smoke, making me almost blind. The judges sometimes spoke and stood up excitedly, spinning around the table. Not to the point of hitting the table, but everyone is really seriously arguing.
As for who can laugh until the end, I believe that only those with strength can be shortlisted. If you have no strength, you have no qualification to be shortlisted. This is already fair. The person who ultimately wins the prize may need some luck.
Looking at the news: From the repeated review by netizens of "Da Song Ti Xing Guan", to "Bai Lu Yuan", "Sesame Hutong", and "Qing Man Siheyuan", your screen image is rich and varied. What kind of characters make you tempted?
He Bing: The script makes me agree that characters cannot be one-sided or flat. Actors always prefer three-dimensional characters. For example, Lu Zilin in "White Deer Plain". If you have read Chen Zhongshi's novels, the audience will find that my portrayal of Lu Zilin is well founded. Lu Zilin is an old landlord who bullies men and women, but he pretends to be clever and his foolishness is evident, which is the dramatic nature of the character. If you just play the role of an old thug who bullies men and women, it's not very interesting.
Many viewers like "The Great Song Dynasty Punishments", and looking back now, I regret that Song Ci's performance quality is not high. "The Great Song Dynasty Criminal Investigation Officer" belongs to the genre of detective dramas. I can't find more nutrition in the performance.
On the news: You recently made a guest appearance in the TV drama "Warm Spring Sun", which tells the story of a theater troupe inviting popular stars to star in a play to ensure box office success. Is there a real shadow of the comparison between old actors and fresh meat in the drama?
He Bing: I don't agree with the terms "old drama bones" and "little fresh meat". Old actors can act, but little fresh meat cannot act? This is a very superficial statement. It is unfair to compare actors with several years of experience to those with decades of experience. The old artist has been enduring step by step since his youth, why do he compare his marksmanship to that of a child with so many bullets piled up? Of course, there are also a very small number of geniuses, so when he played the role of Cheng Madman in "Dragon Beard Gully", he was only 25 years old, and when Jiang Wen was 23 years old, he played Puyi in "The Last Empress", both of which are not ordinary and cannot be surpassed by ordinary people.
Looking at the news: Your son is also engaged in the art industry. Will you share his performance experience with him?
He Bing: If he wants to learn, he will learn on his own, but I won't give him experience. I am an actor and know the process of learning to perform. If you really want to learn, you can reap rewards every second, it all depends on whether the radar in your brain is turned on or not. The reporter interviewed me, and his expression was already in my mind at that moment. Maybe at some point, I will use this expression in my performance.
As the old saying goes, one must endure hardships before becoming a superior person. I don't quite agree. There are many people all over the world who have endured hardships and become human beings. But the masters with shining stars, most of whom have their souls flying, have achieved success without much pain. We emphasize struggle too much, but in fact, free people achieve more success.
Watching News: On the road to becoming an actor, do you belong to those who endure hardship or those whose souls soar?
He Bing: In 1987, I was admitted to the Department of Chinese Opera Performance, with an admission rate of 3 ‰ that year. On stage, each carrot and pit is occupied by someone. What is more painful than being chosen? We were also chosen to enter the Beijing People's Art Theatre. As an actor, I was initially very hardworking. Only by becoming a master can I freely soar.
I never tell inspirational stories to young actors, nor do I say I want to be free and soar. You will find that after telling him, he still cannot fly and lacks freedom. Freedom requires wings and the courage to leap forward. You stand on a cliff with a pair of wings, not everyone dares to jump. What if you fall to death? When we were young, our living environment was much more difficult than it is now, and we had to jump even if we didn't jump. Now that material conditions are better than before, do you still have the courage to jump? Many people lack courage.
Looking at the news: Is your jump in the role of Birdman? The 7-minute character won his first prize in his life - the Beijing Excellent Performance Award for Literary and Art Performance.
He Bing: Time is much longer. I graduated from Central Academy of Drama in 1991 and starred in "Birdman" in 1993. It wasn't until 1996 and 1997 that my situation began to improve. In 1996, I made the movie "Party A and Party B", which does not necessarily mean that I will be selected and have food to eat. I just made a movie, who told you that I will have a steady grasp of it in my life?
Looking at the news: You mentioned that you prefer the short and powerful "Number Nine Secret", which is known for its twists, more than producing the massive "Game of Thrones". What works have left a deep impression and inspired you recently?
He Bing: It seems that the works I like are always different from others. For example, "The Witch of Inishelin's Funeral", I don't know why it didn't receive any Oscars this year. Screenwriter and director Martin McDonald is too good at telling stories, pushing the plot tension to the limit. In the film, a violinist says, "You're not doing your job, I'm not making friends with you anymore. If you want to play with me again, I'll cut off my own finger." - How direct to the truth. We always say that drama is the truth, isn't that the truth?
I only make this one dish
Being photographed and discussed is the fate of every celebrity, but in the era of the internet, the speed of dissemination is accelerated by a hundred or a thousand times, penetrating everywhere and disturbing people's minds. Faced with the hustle and bustle of the external world, He Bing maintains the composure and composure of an old actor, firmly believing in doing something but not doing it.
Watch the news: Young viewers immediately post comments online after watching the show. Some fans not only watch dramas, but also take pictures of actors commuting to and from work and post them online. Are you used to these new phenomena?
He Bing: This is the habit of consumers. Actors may need material for their Tiktok when they are shooting to and from work. This is the era. I don't play social media too much and it takes too much time. My colleagues told me audience feedback that I will not adjust my director's play based on the review. It's not right to treat a headache with a doctor's head and a foot pain with a doctor's foot. If someone tells you that changing your hairstyle would look better, would you change it? If I change my hairstyle, it won't be you anymore. Persisting in oneself is more important, unless the director has never used his mind during rehearsals, he will follow the crowd.
Looking at the news: Would it be frustrating if young audiences have different opinions about your play?
He Bing: Each generation has its own ideas. I have been playing plays for so many years, putting what I think is most valuable in my heart onto the stage. It's impossible for everyone to enjoy my play. Drama itself has entertainment functions, why can't the audience easily watch a play and be happy for two hours a night? This can exist, but it's not my play.
Nowadays, young audiences enter the theater to see people, not the script itself. In the market, there should be more than just one type of serious drama. But in terms of my age and passion, I am more willing to do "Price", "Orphan Zhao", and "Stranger", so I will present this dish to everyone.
IMAX, Singapore Beach Villa Film Co., Ltd., a production company under Blue Ant Media, and China International Communications Group Interpret China Studio announced on July 3 that they will jointly produce the documentary film "Elephant Journey". This film will document the migration journey of wild Asian elephant herds that began in 2020, presenting the habitat of wild elephant herds - the hidden scenery of Yunnan, China, and revealing the stories and little-known secrets between humans and wild elephants. The documentary film has a duration of approximately 90 minutes and is currently being produced in China using IMAX cameras. It is planned to be released in IMAX theaters in 2024. "Elephant Journey" not only presents the relationship between humans and wild elephants, but also records from a new perspective the well-known departure of 16 wild Asian elephants in March 2020
On the morning of July 1st, the rehearsal hall of Shanghai Song and Dance Troupe was transformed into a movie set. The camera, lighting, track, and rocker arm are in place, and through director Zheng Dasheng's monitor, the Shanghai Song and Dance Troupe actors can be seen in high-definition shots, with their bodies dancing and the camera moving in perfect coordination. Zheng Dasheng was wearing a hoodie with four words printed on his back: "Be brave.". Making a popular dance drama into a movie does require courage. During the filming process, it was even more important to be bold and meticulous. A dance scene between "Li Xia" and "Little Tailor" was repeatedly filmed. Director Zheng Dasheng stared closely at the monitor. This was the first day of filming for the dance drama documentary film "Eternal Waves", and the set was busy and orderly. This film was directed by the Propaganda Department of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, and co produced by the Shanghai Song and Dance Troupe under SMG and Shangshi Film Industry. It also directed the film "1921"
The 2023 Key Cultural and Creative Enterprises Stable Growth Service Season in Pudong New Area was launched on June 16th. The event is hosted by the Propaganda Department of the Pudong New Area Committee, aiming to integrate comprehensive resources such as government departments, industry experts, entrepreneur representatives, and social institutions, optimize the development ecology of cultural and creative enterprises, and promote higher quality development of the cultural and creative industry. During the activity season, a group of cultural and creative industry stable growth service leading mentors were hired, and at the same time, the "Yiqi Tongxin" service specialist team officially made its debut. In the future, it will create "Five Ones" heartwarming services, namely "one dedicated line", "one email", "one information exchange platform", "one park enterprise interactive WeChat matrix", and "one special coordination specialist team". The team will focus on serving as policy communicators, problem coordinators, and development escorts, continuously optimizing the business environment with down-to-earth and thoughtful services, and enabling enterprises to
The solo exhibition "A Good Magnolia - Xu Jinping's Traditional Chinese Painting Works Exhibition" by Xu Jinping, a Chinese painter and vice chairman of the Shanxi Artists Association, was held at the Shanghai Xinjinjie Art Space from June 3 to July 10. This exhibition showcases nearly 20 works created by Xu Jinping in recent years with the theme of magnolias. Xu Jinping's flower and bird paintings combine the overall poetic beauty and fresh charm, showing the special charm of the blending of form and spirit. The thousand branches and ten thousand stamens of magnolia flowers in his pen rise up, as if soaking in snow, showcasing a noble temperament against the backdrop of ancient architecture. Xu Jinping uses clever blank space and exquisite techniques to convey the essence and aesthetic taste of traditional Chinese art in his light and natural brushstrokes. The exhibition is under the academic guidance of Mao Shi'an, Vice Chairman of the China Association of Literary Critics. He stated, "Mr. Xu's works..."
"On July 13, 2021, after reading the script sent to me by Teacher Cao Baoping, Hu Ge and the director added us on WeChat. I saw a topic we usually avoid - death - in the script of" Not Void This Journey ". Eastern culture is not very willing to face death, so people are not very prepared and death catches people off guard. I have a similar experience." "Not Void This Journey" was produced by Cao Baoping, written and directed by Liu Jiayin, and led by Hu Ge, starring Wu Lei. Qi Xi starred, with Bai Ke playing a special role. The movie tells the story of an ordinary screenwriter named Wen Shan who falls behind and begins to make a living by writing eulogies. Through his encounters with various ordinary people, Wen Shan comforts others and gains warmth, ultimately finding his own self