A classic of 20th Century Chinese theatre, Cao Yu (Ts'ao Yu)'s Thunderstorm, will run Oct. 29-31 at the Pace Downtown Theatre. The production, directed by Joanna Chan, will be in Mandarin Chinese with English subtitles.

Influenced especially by Chekhov, Yu wrote Thunderstorm at a turning point in Chinese history as the feudal system prepared to give way to communism. The play centers on two families, one a wealthy, half Westernized mine owner's and the servants in his home. Both groups are rocked by the secrets revealed in a 24-hour period in the man's drawing room, where everything from incest and illicit affairs to worker's rights are discussed.

Thunderstorm has been compared with the works of Eugene O'Neill and J.M. Synge. Other plays by Yu include Peking Man and Wang Zhaojun, first performed in 1979 after the Cultural Revolution.

Tickets are $15. To reserve a ticket in English, call (212) 346-1715. To reserve a ticket in Chinese, call (212) 889-9332. The Pace Downtown Theatre is located at 3 Spruce Street.

-- By Christine Ehren