Stan Lai's secret recipe

One of China's most popular contemporary plays is made over in a US production, receiving the treatment of a staple rather than culture show, writes Raymond Zhou.

Do US audiences get Chinese jokes? Do they have to read a 1,600-year-old Chinese classic novel and learn about the Chinese Civil War (1945-49) to fully grasp the nuances of a Chinese play?

It turns out that in the right hands, a story of love, loss and longing can transcend layers of historical and cultural complexities. Stan Lai's Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land, the most performed and arguably best-loved contemporary Chinese play, recently opened in a regional theater in the United States, wowing audiences with its magical blend of tragedy and farce.