The lights dimmed, and the curtain fell.

On the morning of July 17, with support from teachers at the College of Humanities and Law, the Academic Affairs Office, and the Student Affairs Office, the 16th Humanities and Law English Drama Festival was staged successfully. English majors in the 2024 cohort gathered at the small theater of the Student Activity Center on the Changping Campus, where four classic plays were presented over three hours. The influence of this annual festival continues to grow. The event drew more than 200 BUCT faculty members and students, including international students, as well as teachers and students from Nankou No. 15 Middle School.

The festival began with quiet anticipation and ended with thunderous applause. After countless rehearsals, the students brought stories from different times and places vividly to life in another language.

Program Highlights:

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

As moonlight spilled over the Athenian forest, the flower’s enchantment spread through the trees. English majors in Class 2403 brought Shakespeare’s romantic fantasy to the stage, with dreamlike lighting and costumes that conveyed the poetry and mystery of the Athenian forest. The actors delivered nuanced performances, bringing to life the lovers’ tangled affections, the Fairy Queen’s unlikely romance with Bottom, and Puck’s comic mischief.When the first light of dawn pierced the leaves, misunderstandings gave way to reconciliation. The play drew the audience into a dreamlike scene that lingered in the audience’s memory.

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Within symmetrical pink frames, an absurd feast unfolded on cue. English majors in Class 2401 recreated Wes Anderson’s visual style with pink, symmetrical sets and an immersive soundtrack, transporting the audience to a whimsical version of old Europe.M. Gustave’s gentlemanly charm was portrayed vividly. The race to recover a famous painting and the ensuing gunfight chase unfolded with absurd humor, while every character came alive on stage. The play’s warmth and humanity resonated with the audience despite the chaos surrounding its characters.

Alice in Wonderland

With lively, committed performances, English majors in Class 2402 led the audience tumbling into Wonderland. Clear, powerful lines and layered stage lighting brought classic scenes vividly to life: the eternal dusk at the Mad Hatter’s tea party, the riddle-like guidance for living hidden in the Caterpillar’s smoke rings, and the palace of the Queen of Hearts, where power and absurdity coexisted. The Cheshire Cat’s appearances and disappearances, the March Hare’s madcap antics, and the Dormouse’s drowsy charm made every character vivid and three-dimensional. When Alice finally raised her sword, what shattered was not only the dragon but also the constraints imposed by the belief that things “should be”. She fought not to fulfill a prophecy but to heed the voice within.

Pygmalion

English majors in Class 2404 were the final group to perform, presenting Bernard Shaw’s classic Pygmalion on stage. Exquisite, faithful Victorian costumes presented the stark contrast between two social classes; the actors’ authentic pronunciation and fluent, natural delivery made Eliza’s transformation from coarse speech to polished English both clear and convincing. After the transformation, Eliza asked, “Who am I?” Her question raises another: when someone is shaped into a work of art, what happens to her sense of self and dignity? The ending offered no definitive answer. It left the audience reflecting on independence, class, and identity.

Comments

Daniel, a foreign teacher, spoke highly of the English majors’ performances in the festival, quoting playwright T. S. Eliot to share his own distinctive insights into the art of drama.

Zhang Jing, the festival’s supervising teacher, fully affirmed the hard work of all the students. She noted that the whole performance amply demonstrated the English majors’ solid professional competence and well-rounded abilities. She also expressed the hope that the Humanities and Law English Drama Festival would continue to renew itself and go from strength to strength.

Awards

Best Language Quality:

First Prize: Pu Xiaojue
Second Prize: Xiao Yuxin, Qieheer Zhati
Third Prize: Ding Na, Yiliminu’er, Zhang Zihan

Best Actress: Xiao Yuxin (Alice in Alice in Wonderland)
Best Actor: Tian Junyu (M. Gustave in The Grand Budapest Hotel)

Best Play: Alice in Wonderland

Best Director: Ling Chen, Xiang Yinuo (Pygmalion)

Best Costumes and Props: Alice in Wonderland

Closing Remarks

One light, one scene; one play, one world. At the opening, we set out for a moving theatrical experience. Today, the feast has ended, yet its warmth remains.Our thanks go to every actor for their heartfelt performances, to every member of the backstage crew for their quiet dedication, and to every member of the audience for their presence and applause.The 16th Humanities and Law English Drama Festival has concluded successfully. See you on stage again next year.