Classic play ‘The Moon Grass’ comes children’s theater in Beijing

The classic Chinese children’s drama The Moon Grass kicked off at the China National Theatre for Children in Beijing on Saturday.

The play, written by wellknown Chinese scriptwriter Xu Baoqi, takes inspiration from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) classic fantasy work Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio by Pu Songling.

The drama tells the story of a young brother and sister; the former a lazy and greedy boy who dreams about the “moon grass” that will bring him wealth and the latter a kind, hardworking and diligent girl who believes that happiness must be earned.

First debuted in 1993, the show has been well received by Chinese audiences over the years.

For the current performance, which is set to come to an end on July 15, the play has been tweaked a bit to better fit with modern aesthetic standards and values, according to the show’s organizers.

More funny and sarcastic humor has been scattered throughout the show while the moral lessons, such as keeping one’s word and being responsible for one’s mistakes, are delivered in a comedic fashion to better entertain and educate young audiences.

“Expressing the old story in a new way is a highlight of the show,” said Yin Xiaodong, head of the China National Theatre for Children, going on to emphasize that the production crew went to great lengths to present the original story in a creative way.