The one-man show Life between Heaven and Earth is an adaptation of the novella The True Story of Ah Q by Lu Xun, considered China’s greatest modern writer.

It is a cold rainy night with a bleak autumn wind. Ah Quei is beheaded for being a member of the Chinese Revolutionary Party, and his soul starts wandering through Weizhuang, the town where he lived before his death.

Feeling embittered, the spirit of the dead man looks back on his short life and tries to understand the cause of his miserable fate. He consults wise men, the noble lords in Weizhuang and his enemy, but they are unable to help. He is confused by his death and feels hatred towards the cold world.

The confused and angry spirit asks himself the same question, but doesn’t find an answer. He sighs helplessly, suspended in his life between Heaven and Earth. His ruminations on human nature turn into dreary, sorrowful rain.

Lu Xun (1881–1936), who was hailed as the ‘commander of China’s cultural revolution’. Unlike some of his colleagues, he has never been criticized for political ‘errors’. Lu Xun is best known for his short stories. His writing style is sophisticated and his works lend themselves to various interpretations. Through exaggerated characters and vivid analogies, Lu Xun presents his personal vision of Chinese society, castigating social injustice and political corruption.

Life Between Heaven and Earth will be presented in Mandarin with English surtitles on October 30 at Place des Arts. For tickets: 514-842-2112 or www.placedesarts.com