The experimental drama of Gao Xingjian inspired by avant-garde theatre.

The exploration undertaken by the Chinese writer Gao Xingjian is among the most representative of the drama experiments made in contemporary China. Inspired by avant-garde Western playwrights, especially Samuel Beckett and Bertolt Brecht, Gao transcended the realistic tradition of modern Chinese drama throughout his forty-year career. Brecht's misinterpretation of Chinese drama enabled Gao to transform the writing and performance of traditional Chinese drama in his own original way, which opened up a uniquely oriental approach to drama explorations worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]