THE SET
The entire stage represents the inside of the Teahouse. The main entrance from the “outside” to this space is Center Rear. The exit from the Teahouse to its kitchen and the rear facilities is Stage Right. An exit Stage Left is used although only once or twice.
The set is the same for the two acts except that twenty-five years pass between them and the wear and tear must show. “Erasable” aging paint should perhaps be used and changing or adding old looking posters to reflect the increased danger of political discussions (there are one or two in the first act and six or seven in the second).
The tables should be small and round if possible. Stools are preferable to chairs to be set around them, three or four to a table and five or six tables to the set although no more than three are used in any scene. Space should be set aside in front of the entrance, Center Rear, and smaller areas in front of those to Stage Right and Stage Left.
The colors of the set need to work with those of the costumes which will be in various shades of blue, some green and khaki, as well as grey and black (or very dark blue). Only the Fortune Teller in Act I and Pockface Junior in Act II are likely to have costumes that would stand out. The granddaughter in Act II may be indulged some colored ribbons for her hair, but it is unlikely that she would have pink or purple ones.
CASTING
(Suggestions--No one looks particularly well fed.)
Shopkeeper Wang may be acted by one person playing a man in his early 40s in Act I and late 60s in Act II.
Housekeeper Wang (Act I) and Housekeeper Zhou (Act II) may be played by the same person, late 30s.
The Policeman at the beginning of Act I may also the Commander of the Military Police at the end of Act I and Director Shen at the end of Act II, 40-ish.
Kang Shunzi may be played by one person; she is in her late 30s in Act I and her mid 60s in Act II.
Fourth Uncle Chang is 45 in Act I and 70 in Act II.
Pockface Liu (50 in Act I) and Pockface Junior (40 in Act II) may be played by the same person.
Third Brother Li (Act I) may also play Chef Ming (Act II), 50-ish.
Second Uncle Song (Act I) may play Teacher Yu (Act II), 50-ish.
Fortune Teller Tang (Act I) may also play Teacher Xie (Act II), 50-ish.
Kang Dali, 12 year old boy in Act I only.
Granddaughter, 12 year old girl in Act II only.
Wang Dashuan, 40-ish Act II only.
Ding Bao, 17 year old girl in Act II only.
Xinyan, girl about 17 in Act II only.
Cui Jiufeng (Act I) may also play Second Elder Qin in Act II, 70-ish.
Special Agents Wu and Song in Act I may play their respective sons as Secret Police in Act II, 40-ish.
Bill Collector, 40-ish, Act I only.
Three or four policemen, military police, etc. – two may play the deserters in Act I, one Dezi and two the unnamed customers in Act II —for a total cast of twenty-one or twenty-two.
