Peking University, March 13, 2023: Co-produced by Peking University (PKU) Institute of World Theatre and Film and the Embassy of Switzerland in China, the Chinese adaptation of the Swiss play “And surely the world has disappeared with me” (German title: “Und sicher ist mit mir die Welt verschwunden”) debuted in the PKU Hall Li Ying Hall on Saturday evening. The event was graced by His Excellency Jürg Burri, Ambassador of Switzerland to the People's Republic of China.

Before the performance commenced, Burri was invited to deliver a speech. He expressed that he was thankful that the play could finally come to fruition after numerous postponements due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He also shared animatedly about the vibrancy of the theatre scene in Switzerland, which was diverse in terms of forms, languages and themes.

Swiss Ambassador to China Jürg Burri giving a speech

Hui Jing, student director of the play delivering an opening address

“And surely the world has disappeared with me” presents the deathbed reflections of a woman who has experienced a myriad of adversities in the modern world and has decided to put an end to her sufferings. The play has a polyphonic narrative, whereby each character in the play assumes a different alter ego of the dying woman attempting to make sense of the meaning of her life. In a society encroached by institutional violence and lingering vestiges of patriarchy, the female character struggles to fulfil societal expectations and derive meaning from the materialistic world. The quantification of human value in the modern and capitalistic world also constrains how she can determine the worth of her existence. More often than not, the characters attach the value of their lives to objects in the material world such as their apartment, furniture, and cosmetics, only to come to the realization that they are ultimately perishables that would be buried in the ground after their death. Consequently, they fall into a void where their life feels meaningless because these material objects will "vanish into thin air" along with their life and meaning. The actoresses' thought-provoking performances undoubtedly prompted the audience to reflect on the state of their own existence in the modern era.
 
 
 

The play was received with great enthusiasm by the audience. During an interview after the play, Burri expressed his admiration for the young student artists' ability to portray the nuances of female characters of a wide age range. Even though the script was challenging, the western context of the play was skilfully adapted for its Chinese audience, effectively promoting the exchange of cultures through theatre.

Group photo with Ambassador Burri

Ambassador Burri interacting with the cast after the show

The play is curated by associate professor Luo Tian. Originally written in German, the play was translated by assistant professor Mao Mingchao into Chinese language for the school performance. Chen Sian and Li Shi are the performance coaches of the play. The play was directed by Hui Jing, an English major at the School of Foreign Languages, and performed by casts and crew of fellow students from the same faculty. 

“And surely the world has disappeared with me” is the fourth and final part of the saga that Sibylle Berg has written for the Maxim Gorki Theater in Berlin. Berg is a German-Swiss contemporary author and playwright who is known for her intricate explorations of modern society. With the use of unconventional narrative structures, her works often delve into the complex relationships between individuals and the society they live in, and how these relationships are shaped and influenced by various factors such as politics, culture, and technology. She has also been recognized for her ability to create multi-layered characters that capture the nuances and contradictions of the human experience.

Student director and cast of the play posing for pictures after the show

Written by: Shi Xinyao

Edited by: Meng Bin
Photos by: Shi Xinyao, Lean Zhi Xuan, Zhang Qi