A faltering relationship

"There is no judgment. We just put an ordinary couple onstage, unveiling their problems and hopefully inspiring the audience, the members of which may reflect upon their own lives," Xu says.

Veteran actress Lu will play the role of Sarah, a housewife, whose lover calls her at home whenever Richard goes to work in the city. Her lover is a striking contrast to her husband, who is rather staid.

Actor Jing plays the role of Richard, a respectable businessman who is devoted to his work. He also has a fling and is aware of his wife's affairs.

"We are good friends in real life and it's quite interesting to do this play, which explores love and marriage," says Lu, who is known for her roles in Chinese plays, including Antigone based on the Greek tragedy with the same title and The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, adapted from Shakespeare's classic play of the same title, also directed by Li.

"It's the right time for us to make this play because we've experienced marriage and learned from it. We understand the characters in the play and we have our own interpretations," Lu adds.

Besides The Lover, Beijing People's Art Theater will stage Chinese plays Li Bai and The Wilderness in December, both of which were previously postponed due to the pandemic.