If you were going to die tomorrow what would you take to heaven? This is the question director Huang Ying calls on his audience to explore through his drama "To Be Continued," which is running at the Oriental Avant-garde Theater.

A scene from drama 'To Be Continued' [China Daily]

Four young amateur actors give up their jobs and sacrifice love to rehearse a play together. They create the character Mo Li and set the condition: One night the God of Death visits Mo and tells the 28-year-old woman she will die soon but she can spend her final 24 hours finding one thing to take with her. If she cannot find it in 24 hours, she will repeat her last day until she does find something.

When the play starts, the four go onto the stage with a big suitcase full of costumes and props, as if they are rehearsing. As they introduce the background of Mo, a white-dressed woman enters the stage to play the part. Then the four actors open their suitcases and put on various costumes to play different roles as Mo's friends, colleagues, schoolmates, lovers and parents.

The story of Mo and the lives of the four interact from one scene to another. It appears the characters in the drama feel it difficult to find something to take to heaven so they ask the audience for answers. The play follows director Huang's recent trademark approach of no setting, performers bring their costumes onto stage, one performer plays several different characters. It is like a child's game. But the point of the play is that we have to grow up and face the world, office politics, disappointments in relationships, family frustrations and so on.

"Huang's plays remind us of a happy childhood and growing pains but also encourage us to live a positive life today. He is one of the young talents that represents the future of Chinese theater scene," says Meng Jinghui, arguably China's best avant-garde theater director.

Time: 7:30 pm till Aug 23.

Venue: Oriental Avant-garde Theater, Dongdan Santiao, Dongcheng district

Tel: 010-6559-7364/ 6527-6911/ 400-810-3721/ 6417-0058/ 6417-0068

(China Daily August 15, 2009)