(in Chinese)
Meng Jinghui: We focus on the feelings and opinions two dogs have about our way of life. In the play, the two actors alternate between playing men and dogs. They turn up as dogs for a while, then they play men as the plot develops, then they revert to being dogs. This goes on and on... it's quite interesting.

CRI: What's the most appealing part of the play?

(in Chinese)
Meng Jinghui: In my opinion, the most appealing part of this play is the way the two leading actors challenge the traditional style of acting. As they integrate Western elements into an Eastern performance style, they bring out something quite local, quite unique. They express the feelings of people in contemporary life well through their performance.

CRI: As a pioneer of Chinese drama, you always adopt new ideas and tactics in your work, especially in small-scale productions. What's new this time?

(in Chinese)
Meng Jinghui: This drama has no setting or background. We simply integrate punk and crazy acting.

CRI: Compared with traditional drama, what are the advantages and disadvantages of small theatre drama?

(in Chinese)
Meng Jinghui: I don't think small-scale productions are inferior to traditional drama. It depends on how you look at it. Nowadays lots of people are under a lot of pressure and prone to be moody. This is not something to be ashamed of. On the contrary, this trend shows a demand that provides considerable space for nourishing our spirit. We make our own choices. I would like to grow up with these two actors. Anyway, we act on our own understanding of life and express our inner feelings.

CRI: What role do you think small-scale productions play in the development of Chinese drama?

(in Chinese)
Meng Jinghui: Small theatre drama played a very important role in the development of Chinese drama for around 20 years, since the very beginning of 1980. It's a great pleasure to see it develop so well. Even you look back at the history of Chinese drama, small-scale productions had a lot of influence in the 1980s and 1990s. As a form of dramatic art, they have become so elevated as society and people's lifestyles have developed, as well as people's ideas and aesthetic viewpoints.

CRI: What is the environment for producing drama in China? What are the opportunities and difficulties?

(in Chinese)
Meng Jinghui: The environment for creating drama is far from satisfactory. All of us should take a more serious attitude towards Chinese drama. We cannot take anything for granted. Why do we call it experimental drama rather than test drama? If a test fails, it fails completely. But an experiment is a kind of success in itself as long as it starts. I encourage people in this field to start from their own works and adopt a long-term view...think about how things will be like in ten years... For myself, I am always seized by a sense of danger...I have to attend to things in the past with better care and press forward in other aspects at the same time...So I am also groping along the road and trying to make more headway...

CRI: You're the first to start marketing your plays, starting with "Rhinoceros in Love". How do you find the balance between artistry and business?

(in Chinese)
Meng Jinghui: As far as I am concerned, the more commercial, the less artistic a work is. The more artistic a work is, the more commercial it can be. Therefore, being commercial doesn't have much impact on me. What really matters is whether you can produce something good. Whether it sells well, what tricks you should take...that's other people's business. But I am not a salesman. I am more like an art worker who wants to express his feelings. What's really closely related to me and my life are the art works that I filter through my perspective, my experience and my view of aesthetics. I am more willing to press forward in the way of art. For an art worker or an artist, there is no end. You should always move on.