Sunrise

SUNRISE is the second play penned by Mr. Cao Yu, the most distinguished playwright of contemporary Chinese literature. The playscript was first published in 1936, creating an intense discussion by the public even before it was put on stage. The renowned litterateur Ba Jin appraised it as “the best fruit harvested from the Chinese New Literature Movement”.

Ever since its premiere in 1937, the appeal of SUNRISE has not diminished at all with the passing of time. As our society develops rapidly, the storyline of SUNRISE has resonated with the audience even more.

SUNRISE has four Acts: Dawn, Dusk, Midnight, and Sunrise. The play expresses strong feelings towards social reality, as well as the earnest yearning for the rising red sun in the east.

Using the sad fate of socialite Chen Bailu as the main thread throughout the entire play, connecting various characters representing the “haves”, as well as the have-nots”. By showing the audience the two drastically different worlds of the “haves” and “have-nots”, the play paints a vivid picture of both the inside and outside of a semi-colonial metropolitan society. The upper class indulges themselves in a luxury lifestyle filled with extravaganza, while the lower class suffers from extreme poverty ridden with hunger and human trafficking.