The power of theatrical performance is universal, but the style and concerns of theatre are specific to individual cultures. The third volume in the Global Theatre Anthologies series presents six of the most iconic classical and modern plays from China. By exploring the older works alongside important pieces from across the modern period, students gain insight to the theatrical and cultural values that seem to be foundational to Chinese drama. The volume makes use of a range of rich dramatic literature available to English language readers to show the many different ways theatre is conceived and operates around the world. Together the plays reveal how techniques and themes play out through particular theatrical cultures, stimulating students’ critical thinking and untapped imagination. With introductions to each play and an overall contextual essay, this volume can serve as the primary text for an intensive semester-long investigation of Chinese drama and culture. It is also possible to use the collection alongside others in the series as texts for a single course on global theatre and theatre-in-translation. The global perspectives approach of letting classical and modern works resonate with each other encourages thinking across boundaries and connective human understanding.
