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In Our Town Bright Stars Shine

The English Department of Peking University (Bei Da) under the direction of American- born stage and screen actor Joseph Graves, deserved applause for its gorgeous and subtly powerful rendition of Our Town by Thornton Wilder at The Peoples Theatre in May.

An allegorical tale based on the universal themes of ordinary lives, Our Town was published in 1938 and won its author a Pulitzer Prize. Easily adaptable, the play has had many notable interpretations, spending years on and off Broadway. The author spent part of his childhood travelling back and forth to Shanghai and Hong Kong where his father was United States Consul General.

For fine performances, particular praise must go to Hu Xiaoqing, Zhang Zheng, and Sun Zheng for their confident characterizations. Of particular note, Xie Yiqin s portrayal of young Emily Gibbs was touching and meaningful.

The juxtaposition of Chinese with English language was clever and playful, satisfying different audience cultures as well as being entertaining to the ear. Stage direction, sound and lighting were all superb.

The show was a great success and a credit to the cast and its director, Joe Graves.