Chinese Allow Play on Pentagon Papers, but Not a Talk About It.

BEIJING -- As far as dramatic timing goes, the text message from the powers that be announcing the sudden cancellation of a post-performance discussion of ''Top Secret: Battle for the Pentagon Papers'' was, well, perfectly timed. The message, sent to the cellphone of the play's producer on Friday night, warned of ''unforeseen consequences spreading beyond the theater,'' should the audience at Peking University be allowed to openly discuss the work, which delves into delicate matters like press freedom, power-hungry political leaders and the Nixon administration's desire to quash information it deemed embarrassing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]