David Wood's Play to debut in China on Dec 22

CRI host Liu Mohan (left) and director Adam Stafford (right) pose together after an interview on Dec. 10, in the Beijing-based radio station's studio. [Photo:China Plus]

A classic children's play by David Wood - "The See-saw Tree" - will meet young audiences in China on December 22nd.

Director Adam Stafford is now in Beijing joining the Chinese cast at rehearsal.

"The speech rhythms in Chinese are very different from the English ones. You know, we may have a word, which has one or two syllables and you may have four syllables. Well, in an exchange of conversation and dialogue, this changes the feel, the level of dialogue at aims of the children. I mean, for me, I worked a lot in children's theatre. I think it has to be quite fast-moving. I think there needs to be a lot of action; there needs to be a little bit of comedy children love to laugh. So there are many techniques that I use in my production that hopefully will keep the attention of the children."

The See-saw Tree looks at an important environmental issue in an entertaining but thought-provoking way. It debuted in the U.K. in 1986.

It starts with a public meeting at a village hall to discuss if a 300-year-old oak tree should be cut down. But Mr. Bunn, an environmental activist, protests and shows the devastating effect such plans will have on the inhabitants of the tree.

Eight actors with the China National Theatre for Children will each play a dual role as both a human character and an animal inhabitant.

Children's play director Adam Stafford is in Beijing on Dec. 12, for a briefing with the media on how he and his Chinese colleagues have adapted his play "The See-saw Tree" for young Chinese audiences.[Photo:China Plus]