Reviews

Different choices lead to varied life paths, with gradually melting ice ultimately shattered. Left Unsaid makes one ponder if there are indeed things that must remain unspoken. Watching it, I couldn't help but think of House Guest—those crossroads in life that ultimately lead to a Rashomon-like conclusion. 

Estela Si, weibo.com

The lighting and stage design imbued the play with immense artistic appeal, transforming with the narrative's progression, using follow-spotlights and scenic control to amplify the emotional intensity of the characters, whether it be anxiety, oppression, or fear-driven madness.

Rou Axi, dianping.com

I never expected a theatre production to move me so profoundly! Despite having only four actors, the fact that many things that remain unspoken lead to lies, spawning various versions and constant reversals, left me on the edge of my seat. It has a postmodern flair, where lying is the ultimate horror film of this world. I'm in awe of the director and writer for introducing me to the performing art of theatrical language!

Haha, dianping.com

The four actors on stage portrayed multiple stories, displaying intricate character relationships and conveying emotions with impeccable finesse, offering a glimpse into the multifaceted tapestry of human life.

Each individual takes on various roles in society—spouses, classmates, friends, colleagues, and more. Through absurd vignettes, though the endings vary, the core themes remain similar: incommunicability, alienation, and loneliness.

The stage design mirrored this sentiment, with its vast expanse and solitary ice sculpture exuding a sense of emptiness and desolation. Yet, with a final resounding crash, the ice sculpture shattered, thoroughly disrupting this static atmosphere.

Bruce JC, weibo.com

 About Left Unsaid

The Buddha once said,"It should not be spoken, it should not be spoken, for to speak is to err."

Many things in this world are best understood tacitly, never fully articulated.

What you see may not be the truth, and what you comprehend may not be the reality!

The story unfolds with the life of a man and a woman, who, despite their inability to connect, engage in a perpetual conversation every second. One day, the arrival of another man unravels a secret between them, raising the query: Can the truth ever be voiced aloud, or is it destined to remain forever unspoken? It's akin to a crow perched on a black pig; neither perceives the other's darkness! 

From the routine of daily life to the impermanence of existence, life persists, perhaps with lies shrouding facts and truths, or perhaps with lies preserving the status quo. Perhaps, the truth itself is a non-existent entity.

Credits

Playwright/Director: Nick Rongjun Yu

Cast: 

Ding Meiting as Cheng Mixue 

Wei Chunguang as Li Shaofeng

Wang Weishuai as Dong Qingyun

Gao Zepeng as Li Xiaoqiang

Production Company: Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre

Presented by: Zhang Huiqing

Supervisor: Tian Shui

Artistic Director: Nick Rongjun Yu

Co-Supervisor: He Nian

Producer: Tang Shi

Set Design: Sang Qi

Lighting Design: Hu Huaqing, Wang Beijun

Costume/Makeup Design: Dong Guiying

Props Design: Shao Zhendong, Xi Nan

Sound Design: Gu Ying

Technical Design: Hu Jisheng

Video Design: Wang Jiadi

Deputy Director: Wang Haiying

Stage Manager: Wang Fei

About Nick Rongjun Yu

Yu is a first-class national playwright, the Vice President of Shanghai Media and Entertainment Group, and the Artistic Director of the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre. 

His theatrical works include Last Winter, http://WWW.COM, The Insane Asylum Next to Heaven, Perfume, Activated Carbon, Dust to Dust, On Capital, 1977, The Piano in a Factory, Blind Massage, Dream of the Red Chamber, The Boss, The Crowd, House Guest, Left Unsaid, and The Age of Awakening, etc. 

He won the 24th Cao Yu Scriptwriting Award 2021, the Excellence Award in International Theatre Institute's MTN Musical Theatre Competition 2016, Wenhua Drama Award at the 11th China Art Festival 2016, the 3rd Lao She Theatre Literature Award 2016, the 21st Cao Yu Scriptwriting Award 2014, and more.

About Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre

Quality, Creativity, Diversity.

The Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre is a state-owned cultural enterprise encompassing the entire industry chain, from project planning, stagecraft creation, production and performance, scenic production and storage, theatre architecture consultation, theatre operation and management, promoting and marketing, arts education, to actor agency. Its business scope encompasses a property portfolio with the Drama Tower at No. 288 Anfu Road as its core, alongside the operation and management of Shanghai International Dance Center Theatre, Shanghai Huayi Culture Communication Co., Ltd., Jasmine Theatre (Huangpu Branch of Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre Co., Ltd.), and Shanghai Grand Theatre (Xuhui Branch of Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre Co., Ltd.). Over 29 years, Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre has crafted around 400 productions, winning numerous accolades including the Propaganda Department of the City Central Committee's "Five-in-One" Project Award, the National Stage Art Masterpiece Project Award, and the Ministry of Culture's Wenhua Award.