"The Bus Stop" staged reading of a bold play that was banned in China

Join us at La Maison Francaise at the Embassy of France for a cultural evening of great theatre and a glass of wine afterwards. The Bus Stop is an absurdist play written in 1981 by one of China's most powerful dissident voices. The original run was well received—yet it was shut down by the CCP's Anti-Spiritual Pollution Campaign after only 13 shows. It is now banned in mainland China. Still, this play remains an influential work for those yearning for freedom and to better their lives.

PLOT: A group of colorful characters wait at a bus stop in the suburbs of China. One bus after another passes them by as their lives and dreams also seem to slip away. Tempers flare and they begin to argue with one another. The "Silent Man" and "Carpenter" aim to calm tensions, restore order, and urge others to get back in line. One by one, the characters begin to open up, sharing their stories and hardships about why they are headed into town. Finally a bus arrives only to flash a message, "Not Operational". The people begin to question why they're wasting their lives away here.

Event includes 1 glass of wine at a post-show reception with the Director and Cast.

TICKETS: $25 Adults / $15 Students

The Bus Stop by Gao Xinjiang | Translated by Shiao-Ling Yu

Directed by Robert McNamara

Host or Publisher Scena Theatre