Poster of the new version of 'Four Generations Living Together'Invading Japanese troops entering China's ancient capital of Peking (now Beijing). Laid-back citizens, confined in their courtyards and hanging the sun flag of Japan while dreaming of peace's return...
The first episode of 'Four Generations Living Together' aired on CCTV Tuesday night, giving a first glimpse into the highly anticipated 36-episode remake of the late, great Chinese writer Lao She's classic novel.
The story portrays life in Peking during the Japanese occupation through the stories of people from across the social spectrum. At the heart of the story is the Qi family, with four generations living together in a traditional Beijing courtyard home.
It may be too early to judge the cast's performance based on only the very beginning of the story and character development, but comments and critiques from the audiences had already surfaced by the next day.
Sina.com's latest online survey scoring the performances of the leading actors shows Zeng Jing, playing Elder Qi, and Zhao Baogang, portraying Guan Xiaohe, taking the lead in the ranking; followed by Huang Lei as Rui Xuan, the eldest son of the Qi family, Yuen Qiu as Da Chi Bao, and Jiang Qinqin as Yun Mei.
Huang Lei lost weight to better portray old-time intellectual Rui Xuan, a vulnerable but deeply ambitious character. Survey respondents approved his performance as very close to the original.
Jiang Qinqin's portrayal of Rui Xuan's wife Yun Mei, a traditional Chinese woman who takes good care of her big family, didn't measure up to expectations, some netizens said. However, the character of Yun Mei is conservative at the beginning, and viewers may yet get a better performance as the story develops.
Zhao Baogang is definitely a highlight. Reprising the drama 25 years later, actor-director Zhao does his best to infuse life into the character. His scenes in the first episode vividly convey the image of hypocritical and cheeky villain 'Guan Xiaohe.'
Hong Kong actress Yuen Qiu also gave a striking performance in the signature role of Guan's wife, Da Chi Bao, a tough and shrewd woman. Yuen Qiu made the most of this rich role by exaggerating her acting at times.
The remake's theme song also made an impact with its strong opera style. 'Chong Zhen He Shan Dai Hou Sheng,' literally, "counting on the younger generation to revitalize the nation," is chanted by Class-A Peking opera actor Yu Kuizhi. It's quite different from the rhythm in the previous Jingyun Dagu version by late female artist Luo Yusheng, which featured storytelling in the Beijing dialect accompanied by drum beats and two or three three-stringed instruments.
"The words are sung with complicated emotions aroused by family hatred as well as its call for vengeance against Japanese invasion in the play," Yu Kuizhi said. He added that he hoped the song, which is low-toned and moving, expressing plaintive sorrow and profound resentment, would touch the audience.
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