由著名作家丁小琦编剧、澳大利亚著名导演Nancy Black执导的一棵树剧院原创四幕话剧《天堂之门》，今夜在墨尔本The Coopers Malthouse剧场画下了圆满的句号。

Nancy导演说道：“欢迎大家来观看我执导的《天堂之门》，故事讲述了一群留学生在澳洲的故事。里面会有喜怒哀乐，会让你哭让你笑。我采用了极简的舞台风格，灯光和音效都是澳洲一流的。感谢大家来观看我们的演出！”

丁小琦这样说：“我们用了1年的时间，克服各种困难终于让《天堂之门》再次上演了，感谢所有付出努力的演员，谢谢他们一起努力将共同的梦想搬上舞台，也特别感谢Nancy导演，我们在一起碰撞了各种火花，每一次都是愉快解决问题，相信下一次我们一定能做的更完善！”

演员王燕峰：“我在《天堂之门》中扮演乔治，乔治是我，也是你，更是大家，他身上有我们老留学生和新留学生的影子，在深入这个角色时，我从内心深处感悟到追求的真谛。人间百味，在《天堂之门》中，乔治会告诉你答案。”

丁小琦女士笔下的《天堂之门》在墨尔本的文化领域可谓正中红心。

谁都会为被女儿小瞧的乔治而感到同情。剧中乔治对于“Flat White”咖啡的字面理解让人捧腹大笑，致远和牡丹在中年相遇时的百感交集也让人潸然泪下。

《天堂之门》细致入微地描绘了人物为了追寻自由而对自我的改编。自由在剧中是潘多拉的魔盒：为了追寻自由，陈北京沉迷赌场，艾美丽怀上了孩子，小乔则奉献了自己的女儿身。自由也可以是远在海边的风景和一同乘火车的友人。最终这种“火车伴侣”的隐喻也指向了墨尔本爱情的具象。

 《天堂之门》将所有的难题推向了观众：我们该如何忘掉过去，如何面对死亡。 陈北京面对来自祖国来自母亲的馈赠，也感到无以为报。他在完成自我救赎的同时，也让这群年轻人重新聚集在了一起。

背景的极简风格非常经典 ，精彩的背景音乐，比如火车和机场的配音又将话剧带来了写实主义的风格。我很喜欢艾美丽这个角色，因为她的演出夸张而又恰到好处；我看到了祖孙三代观众前来观看话剧，这让我十分感动；当致远和牡丹分手的时候我哭了，这如同我看过的那些怀旧的中国电影一样，浪漫又感伤。

话剧的字幕速度稍快，但是我还是捕捉到了剧中对于麦克白那句经典对白：“I am in blood steeped so far”的引用。我认为更多西方观众应该来观看《天堂之门》。这是一部成功的作品，也是一部经典。

OmegaPott. B.A.Hons.Melbourne University. Grad Dip. T.E.S.O.L.

Gate to Paradise  written by Barbara Ding puts One Tree Theatre in the bulls-eye of the Melbourne cultural map.

Who could not sympathise with Patrick being berated by his daughter in her MLC school uniform? You could laugh at the physical description of a "Flat Wide" and cry over the understated longing of the older lovers Peng and Peony coming to terms with loss and middle age.

   The play delicately unfolds the changes in the characters as they partake of the Freedom offered. Freedom is a Pandora's Box of Outrageous Gambling Mistakes, Pregnancy and Authentic Sexuality. Freedom can also culminate in renovating in a bayside suburb far away from the Victoria Market and  finally assimilate into a daily loving "train-ride-relationship" which is a metaphor for a kind of Melbourne Love.

   Gate to Paradise throws all the hard questions at you- How to exorcise past ghosts and what to do when you know you are dying. It pays great tribute to the Motherland as it is revealed that Zi-angs parcel contains a priceless Royal Treasure. He is vindicated and everyone bands together.

   The backdrop is typically sparse and the train and airport soundscape lend realism to the setting. I loved the character of Emily which was on the verge of being over-played ; I noticed the  three-generations of audience right next to me  loving her too!

I cried when Peng and Peony broke up and found it in the tradition of all the  heart-rending nostalgic  Chinese  films I have seen.

   The surtitles were a bit quick but I managed to get the Macbeth quote "I am in blood steeped so far"- More westerners should see this play = it is a winner and a classic.

OmegaPott.B.A.Hons. Melbourne University. Grad Dip. T.E.S.O.L.

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