Stage carnival

Highlights of the theater festival include the Chinese production Dr. Godot or Six People Searching for the 18th Camel and Lev Dodin's Uncle Vanya.[Photo provided to China Daily]

"A person can be very different before and after drinking. In the novel, the man - like most people in reality - tells lies in his life. But after drinking, he speaks only the truth. In his story, we can see ourselves," Lupa says.

"I am still working on the script. As a director from a different culture, I have my own interpretation of the Chinese novel. The audience can expect to be surprised."

Sitting next to Lupa at a recent media conference in Beijing, Lin calls himself "an amateur" compared with Lupa.

"I don't have many theories about directing. I am lucky to have some of the best Chinese actors to help me realize my crazy ideas," says the 80-year-old.

Lin graduated from the Central Academy of Drama in 1961 and is considered to be among the country's pioneering theater directors.

From 1984 to 1998, he was deputy head of the Beijing People's Arts Theater, which was founded in 1952 and is known for its plays such as the Teahouse. Lin also lectures at Peking University and the Central Academy of Drama.

Asked about his idea of launching the festival, Lin says that while theater has evolved immensely in Europe, China's theatrical productions are still developing.

"All I want to do is to bring some good plays and let the Chinese audiences watch them. There are plenty of masterpieces out there and we could learn from them."

Other highlights of the festival include 2266, by young French director Julien Gosselin, who turned an unfinished novel by late Chilean writer Roberto Bolano into a 12-hour theatrical production; and the only Chinese production, Dr. Godot or Six People Searching for the 18th Camel, a joint directorial work by Lin and his son, Lin Xiyue.

The Chinese play premiered on the opening day of the Wuzhen Theater Festival last year. The festival is held annually in eastern China's Zhejiang province.