Encouraged by the recent hit of Waiting for Godot, Beijing People's Arts Theatre willl venture on more absurd plays. This time they chose a Chinese script called Rain Over, Sky Clear.

Written and directed by Li Liuyi, Rain Over, Sky Clear is a real "made in China" small-theatre play. The plot of the play develops through the dialogue between a traditional Chinese opera actor and a make-up woman. The dialogue touches on four people's readings of works by Marx, Nietzsche, Hegel and newspapers.

All the characters in the play are looking for the honest side of humanity through continuous self-denial. The modern plot structure and use of montage technique in the play means that the audience should not approach the play with traditional preconceptions. However, the director does not pursue obscurity, but rather hopes to create a light atmosphere.

While the story is not realistic, the living conditions of modern people reflected in the play are very real.

Rain Over, Sky Clear will be staged at 7:00 PM, March 16-29, at Small Theatre of Beijing People's Art Theatre. For tickets call 10-65250123. --By Wang Ling
China Correspondent