In 1983 Arthur Miller directed one of his best-known plays in China
Four decades on, the episode still resonates
Since Mao Zedong’s death in 1976, China’s cultural history has involved doors cracking open and promptly slamming shut again. Hopes for renewed artistic freedom have been dashed by political caution. This month, some in China have reminisced about an event 40 years ago that came to symbolise the dream of openness: the visit in 1983 of Arthur Miller to direct his play “Death of a Salesman”.
This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “Death and rebirth of a salesman”
Culture May 20th 2023
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