1980 My Literary Era.

Chapter 538
The atmosphere of the editorial department of "Contemporary" before the Chinese New Year this year is completely different from the leisurely pace of previous years.

"White Deer Plain" was published in the first issue of 90, which was regarded as a satellite of David.

How big is this satellite?

Tu An, the former editor-in-chief of Guowen Society, specially called Lin Weimin, the director of the editorial department of "Contemporary", and asked musician Qu Xixian to ask for two copies of "Contemporary" that published "White Deer Plain".

And this was not the first call Cheng Zaochun received.

In 1990, the first issue of "Contemporary" was sold out within half a month of its release. It was hard to find a book, and paper was expensive in Luoyang.

The number of reprints of this issue became the focus of discussion in the editorial department. After a long discussion, Lin Weimin waved his hand and reprinted 100 million copies again, asking the printing factory to work overtime and distribute these publications to the public before the Spring Festival. all over the country.

There is still one week before the Spring Festival, and the holiday is about to begin. This task is quite tense.

When "Contemporary" was in turmoil due to the sensation caused by "White Deer Plain", Arthur Miller, who was far away in the United States, called Lin Weimin.

The US version of "Farewell My Concubine", which has been in preparation for more than half a year, finally premiered at the Barrymore Theater on Broadway on January 1, US time. "Farewell My Concubine" set a record in Broadway history on the night of its performance.

There is no such thing as online ticket purchases these days. To watch a drama, you can only buy tickets at the theater or at several purchasing agents in New York City.

"Farewell My Concubine" has been published in the United States for eight years, and has accumulated a large number of novel readers. This group of people heard the news that the drama version of "Farewell My Concubine" will be performed, and sold out the tickets for the premiere day early. As a result, many regulars who watch plays on Broadway on weekdays could not buy tickets before the premiere.

On the day of the premiere, many audiences who wanted to watch the play but had no tickets could only wander around the entrance of the Barrymore Theater. At this time, a clever man had an idea and shouted high prices among the crowd to collect tickets.

If the price doubles and no one sells it, double it.

After shouting for a while, he really managed to get this person to buy a ticket, and the ticket price he spent was a full ten times the normal ticket price.

Seeing that Da Zhiming's strategy was successful, some viewers who were not short of money in the crowd were eager to imitate his routine.

All of a sudden, there was a wave of reverse scalpers at the entrance of the Barrymore Theater.

It immediately became the biggest story on Broadway that night.

And the direct consequence of this incident is that tickets for "Farewell My Concubine" after the premiere day are hard to find.

Because "Farewell My Concubine" has a large number of novel readers, the audience base is already large. Coupled with such a publicity, readers who want to buy tickets to watch the play flock to the theater box office, and the tickets for the performance are sold out every time.

In just a few days, "Farewell My Concubine" became popular on Broadway in this way.

Of course, that's just one aspect of Farewell My Concubine's popularity on Broadway.

It took seven months for this drama to start from when Lin Weimin came up with the script, which is quite a long time in the production of Broadway plays. The main reason is to wait for Zunlong.

After "The Last Emperor", Zun Long became a hot Chinese actor in Hollywood.

Putting the two words "hot" and "Chinese" together, John Lone is doomed to have a great reputation in Hollywood, but there is very little room for choice.

In 88, I finally received the historical film "Glorious Times" directed by Alan Rudolph. In 89, I fell into the situation of not having a good script to shoot. I finally received a "Dragon in China", but it was neither fish nor fowl. Mix and match styles.

During the filming of "Dragon in China", Zun Long heard the news that "Farewell My Concubine" was going to be moved to Broadway in Xiangjiang, so he got in touch with Lin Weimin and proposed to play the role of "Cheng Dieyi" in the movie.

Despite the cooperation of "The Last Emperor", Lin Weimin has no friendship with Zunlong, and he did not participate in the production of "Farewell My Concubine", but only recommended Zunlong to Arthur Miller.

Arthur Miller naturally welcomed with his hands raised. Despite the blessing of "The Last Emperor", Zun Long's development in Hollywood was still limited due to the problem of skin color.

But "Farewell My Concubine" itself is a Chinese drama, and it has an all-Asian lineup. The addition of Zunlong has actually increased the topicality and popularity. How can Arthur Miller be unhappy?

And Zunlong himself was born on Broadway, and has been active on the Broadway stage since the early 80s.

In 1980, he first starred in the stage play "FOB" written by David Henry Hwang.

In 1981, he directed and acted in the stage play "Railway and Dance". In the same year, he won the Best Performance Award at the 25th Obie Awards for "FOB" and "Railway and Dance".

In 1983, Zunlong once again wrote, directed and acted in the stage play "Sound and Beauty", and it was only then that he was discovered by Hollywood and embarked on the road of film.

In addition to these factors, there is another reason why Arthur Miller is willing to wait for Zunlong, that is, Zunlong was sent to Xiangjiang to study Peking Opera since he was a child, and he has a foundation in Peking Opera.

Coupled with his handsome appearance and femininity, he is really the best candidate to play Cheng Dieyi.

It turns out that Arthur Miller was right to wait.

The joining of Zun Long not only brought great convenience to the publicity of "Farewell My Concubine", after the premiere, his role as Cheng Dieyi was also well received by the audience and critics who watched the performance on the day of the premiere. Praise, saying that he "restored Cheng Dieyi in the novel [-]%".

Since watching the Renyi version of "Farewell My Concubine" in China in 83, Arthur Miller has been obsessed with this play, and now he has finally moved this play to the Broadway stage, and Arthur Miller has finally completed it Wish.

After reporting the good news to Lin Weimin, Arthur Miller told him another news.

"Lin, after "Farewell My Concubine", I will no longer participate in the production of dramas."

Faced with this news, Lin Weimin was stunned for a moment, "Don't do it in the future? Retired?"

"I'm over 80 and don't have so much energy!" Arthur Miller sighed.

When the two met, Arthur Miller was nearly 60 years old, but his physical state and mental outlook gave the impression that he was in his [-]s.Arthur Miller did not mention his age, and Lin Weimin did sometimes ignore his age.

In the past few years, Lin Weimin's works have been moved to the Broadway stage, and he has gradually felt the lack of energy.

"Although I have some regrets, Arthur, I wish you all the best in your retirement life!"

"I am very honored that "Farewell My Concubine" is the last work I participated in in my drama career." Arthur Miller said with emotion.

"Arthur, it's my honor too!"

The tone of the two parties on the phone was a bit sad, and Arthur Miller smiled and said: "In the future, if your work moves to Broadway, you won't need me, an old man."

Arthur Miller is right. With the accumulation of three drama works and his popularity in the United States, Lin Weimin is now well-known in the American theater circle. Even if Arthur Miller retires, his works can still be on the stage. It's a Broadway stage, and it's the kind that people want.

After finishing talking with Arthur Miller, Lin Weimin looked out the window.

It's snowing in Yanjing, the sky is full of snowflakes, the buildings in the distance are hidden in the snow, and the whole world is only left with monotonous white.

In the past few days, Tao Huimin is filming the TV series "Yang Naiwu and Xiaobaicai" produced by Shanghai TV Station, playing the heroine Xiaobaicai in it, and she can't get home until after [-] o'clock in the evening.

Lin Weimin drove to the Shichahai Courtyard after work.

"Tiesheng! Tiesheng!"

He knocked on the courtyard door, Cheng Ximi opened the courtyard door, and Shi Tiesheng was shaking his wheelchair and looking at him under the eaves of the door.

"Hui Min came back late, so I came to your house for dinner today." Lin Weimin and Cheng Ximi said.

Entering the house, there is a rush of hot air, and the heater is burning warmly.

"In this weather, we should get some mutton!" Lin Weimin said.

Shi Tiesheng smiled and said, "Did you know that the family has prepared mutton for the New Year?"

"Really? That's great!"

Lin Weimin was in high spirits and was not surprised at all.

Father Shi and Cheng Ximi were busy with dinner in the kitchen, while Lin Weimin and Shi Tiesheng sat by the window one by one, looking out the window.

"It's snowing so hard!" Lin Weimin exclaimed.

"Yes! It's really big!" Shi Tiesheng said.

Lin Weimin glanced at him, "You, you haven't become a leader until now, you just suffered from being uneducated!"

"You are educated, but you say it!" Shi Tiesheng retorted.

"I haven't graduated from junior high school. Strictly speaking, it belongs to elementary school education. You have a junior high school education anyway!"

"I'm better at sports!"

After bickering for a few words, Lin Weimin's mood sank.

"Tiesheng! The 80s is about to pass!"

Shi Tiesheng's eyes sparkled, and he said, "Yes, the brand new 90s is coming!"

Lin Weimin glanced at Shi Tiesheng helplessly, "Don't spoil the atmosphere, can you? I'm sentimental about the glorious 80s, which is about to become the past!"

"Is the 80s considered brilliant?" Shi Tiesheng asked rhetorically.

Lin Weimin was stunned.

Yeah, was the 80s brilliant?
If you look at it purely from the perspective of the literary world, it should be brilliant, even unprecedented in Chinese history.

People in it may not be aware of it, and they think it's all natural.As everyone knows, this is a grand scene that has never been seen in the history of Chinese literature.

As long as it has something to do with literature, everyone is pursuing and enviing everyone!
but……

Excluding literature?

The wind direction of reform and opening up has been swaying like a tree branch in the wind in the past ten years. The domestic material life has been enriched to a certain extent, and a very small group of people have become rich, but the wider public is enjoying the reform and opening up. While achieving results, it is also bearing the pain it brings.

In the past ten years, it has not been easy for the country, and it has been even more difficult for the common people.

"The 80s will eventually pass!" Shi Tiesheng said.

Lin Weimin nodded, "Yes, it will eventually become a thing of the past!"

In the room, the two looked at each other silently.

At this time, father Shi came into the house with a bowl of sesame paste and handed it to Lin Weimin, "Weimin, give me this sesame paste!"

Lin Weimin took the sesame paste, poured some warm water and kept stirring it up. When Father Shi was about to leave the house, he still reminded him: "Uncle, don't forget the sugar garlic!"

"Understood!" Father Shi agreed, and he left the house.

After Shifu's interruption, the sentimental atmosphere in the house disappeared.

Shi Tiesheng looked at Lin Weimin stirring the sesame paste happily, and said with contempt, "You are such a common man!"

"Bah! You are a layman, and I am an artist!"

　One week in every day, two changes today
　　
　
(End of this chapter)