lifeCHINA DAILY CHINADAILY.COM.CN/LIFE FRIDAY, JULY 27, 2012 | PAGE 18 EDITOR’S PICKS

The Lorax speaks for the trees Fans of Universal’s beloved animation Despicable Me will get to watch the com- pany’s new creation, Th e Lorax in theaters in IMAX and 3D from July 27. It is an adaptation of American writer/cartoonist Th eodor Seuss Geisel’s 1971 environmen- tal fable. Th e fi lm opens with an introduction from the Lorax, an orange creature with a big yellow mustache who “speaks for the trees”. Th e story unfolds and brings audiences to a man-made town where everything is packaged and plasticized. Th e 13-year resident Ted has no idea of how a real tree looks until he sets foot on a journey to fi nd one to impress his neighborhood girl. He learns the story of the Lorax on the trip, highlighted by beau- tifully designed 3D plants among other visual wonders. Th e voice comes from a stellar cast of Danny DeVito, Betty White, Ed Helms, Taylor Swift , and Zac Efron. Viewers are likely to be drawn to the entertaining tale with environmental pro- tection as its underlying message. — LIU WEI

Symmetrical polygons in oil US-based Chinese artist Xie Caomin obviously likes symmetric polygons very Hebei Provincial Theater’s production of The Odd Couple features a cast of foreign actors. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY much. In his ongoing solo exhibition Circle of Th e Ruins presented by the Other Gallery (Beijing), he showcases oil paint- ings of complicated and colorful polygons. Xie names the series Mandala, which reveals the origin of these geometrical forms — Buddhism. Th e name also refl ects the artist’s willingness to cross boundaries and create his own cultural understanding. At the same time, Xie shows his great passion for iconography. The stage is a world 10.30 am to 6 pm, until Aug 26. Other Gallery (Beijing), 798 Art Zone, 2 Jiuxian- qiao Lu, Chaoyang district, Beijing. 010- 6431-9684. A Chinese-language production of the classic New York play The Odd Couple at the National — ZHANG ZIXUAN Center for the Performing Arts was a brave experiment. Han Bingbin reports in Beijing.

n what was a world’s first, a full cast government-sponsored art troupe to a mar- ing community in China. He was formerly “We’re at the forefront of this experiment. of Western actors from six countries ket-oriented theater company. a member of the Beijing Actors’ Workshop, We have this responsibility to make it a suc- performed an all-Mandarin version of Th e two nights of performances were on which along with Beijing Playhouse, is the cess to convince people to continue this I Neil Simon’s Broadway comedy classic the same NCPA stage where Hebei Provincial capital’s oldest English-language drama thing,” he says. Th e Odd Couple at the National Center for Th eater created a box offi ce record in the capi- troupe. Th ough Gu predicted a good reaction from the Performing Arts (NCPA) on Wednesday tal with a revolution-themed drama in 2011. In this circle, about 100 amateurs and semi- audiences for Th e Odd Couple and suggests and Th ursday. Gu says the process was “very daring” professional actors rehearse mainly at the there will be similar productions in the future, With its vivid portrait of the hilarious hap- because the stage was booked even before experimental Penghao Th eater, which pro- he doesn’t see foreign-cast productions as a penings between two mismatched fl atmates, rehearsals were scheduled. Aft er two pains- vides a small stage to bring their non-profi t trend as “it’s a small circle (niche)”. Sandy Lam both suff ering from frustrating marriages, the taking months searching for foreigners who projects to fruition. Th is doesn’t bother Karl Eiselen, who takes on strings Tony Award-winning play has enjoyed success can both act and speak fl uent Mandarin, there Two years ago, Anton quit his consulting the lead role in the drama and started acting At 46, singer Sandy Lam has not stopped since its debut in 1965, with more than 1,200 was only time for one month’s rehearsal — job to do more acting work and since then has in China at the beginning of the 1990s. He has releasing new albums and performing con- performances staged on Broadway so far. shorter than for a typical Chinese play. appeared in six TV series, three made-for-TV taken part in dozens of productions, includ- certs. Constantly challenging herself, the While it’s generally believed that American And though the foreign actors could speak fi lms and four movies. ing Jackie Chan’s 2011 movie Shaolin. Hong Kong-based artists will play guitar for the fi rst time on stage for her upcoming sarcasm doesn’t really work for Chinese audi- good Chinese, they needed help reading the If you counted every foreigner who has said Aft er having abandoned theater for more concert, MMXTT, in Beijing. ences, this didn’t seem to be a problem. Mean- script. Also, though many of them had experi- a line in a Chinese TV series or fi lm over the than 20 years since his early drama experi- “I learned guitar from my 14-year-old while, the actors spoke with such a range ence working on TV series and movies, they past 10 years, he says, then you’d get around ences in New York, Th e Odd Couple involve- daughter. She is also a big fan of rock,” says of accents that it was like a dubbed foreign had limited stage experience. 1,000 diff erent people. ment has once again inspired him. Lam, who will be dancing and singing movie. Gu says, fortunately for him, they were all “Th at’s 1,000 people who got a free haircut, “I’ll probably never have another chance to rock songs during the concert. Th e natural style of acting made the New quick learners and worked so hard they “out- a nice close-up and a memorable experience, stand on the NCPA stage. But I can go back A radio DJ in Hong Kong since she was 16, Lam has released 30 albums under York story more credible, director Gu Wei shone their Chinese counterparts”. and who were seen for a few moments by to Broadway to start again with some small Sony, Warner Music, and Rock Records says — though he admits the choice of foreign For Georg Anton from Austria, who plays probably hundreds of millions of Chinese roles. Th e point is I have to keep improving — Taiwan’s largest independent label. She actors was a business strategy to begin with. the protagonist’s sarcastic poker buddy, it was viewers at some point,” he says. the quality of my work and never be satisfi ed sings in Cantonese and Mandarin. Her Rather than choosing an obviously popular an “honor” and “rare chance” to perform in However, he says there are others who with myself,” he says. smooth, soft voice has won her a huge play, Li Tihua, from the Hebei Provincial front of 1,000 people. over the years have had decent roles, learned fan base across the region, with Chinese listeners. Th eater decided on Th e Odd Couple as part Like the other actors, Anton is part of an to make money from acting in China, and Contact the writer at She married one of the most produc- of the theater’s transformation from being a active foreign language (mostly English) act- reached a certain level of professionalism. [email protected]. tive and famous singer-songwriters and producer in Taiwan, Jonathan Lee, in 1998, but divorced in 2004. She once said that Lee wrote some of her best songs, and brought her pain and happiness. “Th e reason why my songs are widely shared by fans, especially the female fans, Painting cats like kids is because they can relate to my personal experiences,” she once said. “But now I am By ZHU LINYONG But she did not fulfi ll her dream of being an a mother and I have more fun with my daughter. When I sing those heartbreak- [email protected] artist until 1979, when she moved to Beijing ing songs now, I feel as if I’m telling some- with her husband, a pilot. one else’s stories.” Zhao Benfang is a warm-hearted ink artist. Here she took a fulltime job at a Beijing 8 pm, on Aug 10. At Mastercard Center, She always has visitors at her small apartment library, but spent all her spare time learning the former Wukesong Arena, No. 69, Fuxin- glu, Haidian district, Beijing. 400-610-3721. in Tianzhu, near the Beijing Capital Interna- ink art. Th irsty for knowledge, she eagerly — CHEN NAN tional Airport. sought apprenticeships from master painters Among the most frequent visitors are wan- Sun Jusheng (born in 1913) and Lou Shibai dering cats that come and go from a hole in (1918-2010). the window. Later, she enrolled in intensive training class- When they arrive in threes and fours, es at Beijing Fine Art Academy and studied art Zhao prepares food and toys, then attentively history at the Central Academy of Fine Arts. Zhao Benfang paints at her home in Beijing. FENG YONGBIN / CHINA DAILY watches them play or sleep in the sitting room. Creating a good ink painting is not simple, “I treat them well because they are my explains Zhao, head of the Beijing Blue Sky Without wanting to take the risk of anger- young children in the playground. friends, as well as models and the inspiration Artists Association. ing the rulers of the day, painters oft en chose Cats, for instance, have impressively round, for my paintings,” says Zhao, 63. “To become a good ink painter, one needs to express their inner thoughts through birds- big, brightly colored, shiny eyes, soft , fl uff y Th e retired librarian devotes most of her to have a deep understanding of classical art and-fl owers paintings. hair, and bigger heads than normal. time and energy to birds-and-flowers ink history and the relevant aesthetics, in addition “I paint my favorite subjects, such as cats “I try to bring to life the cutest cats I can paintings. to a solid grasp of technique.” and peony fl owers, mainly to express my pas- imagine,” she says. For Zhao, painting has never been just a Compared with other genres such as portrait sion for life, my goodwill and fondness for Zhao admits her paintings do not address hobby or pastime. “Becoming an artist was and mountains-and-waters painters that record friends,” Zhao says with a smile. weighty subjects but says, “Ink art can be a my childhood dream,” Zhao says. social changes in a fairly realistic manner, Chi- She pays frequent visits to parks, zoos and language through which people from diff er- Born to a peasant’s family in Huaiyang, nese birds-and-fl owers ink art, beginning as an botanical gardens, where she sketches fl owers, ent cultures communicate without obstacles”. Henan province, Zhao worked at a factory independent genre in the Tang Dynasty (AD birds and animals. Zhao will hold an exhibition in Taipei in and a community service center aft er fi nish- 618-907), is not generally realistic. And she dares to innovate and fi nd her own late August, as part of a cross-Straits cul- ing her middle school education. Rather, it used to be a genre favored by artistic style. tural exchange program. In November, she “All those years, I taught myself drawing in intellectuals who gave their subjects symbolic Zhao intentionally depicts animals so they is likely to stage another art exhibition in secrecy,” she says. meanings. appear to be like naughty, clever and energetic Los Angeles.