From March 29 to April 19, a new version of Death of a Salesman 

was performedat tne Capital Theatre as the first in a series of 

foreign classics to mark the 60th anniversary of the Beijing People's Art 

Theatre.The last time this play was performed in Beijing was 29 years ago. 

Death of a Salesman was created in 1949 by Arthur Miller, who used it to reveal the weakness of the "American Dream" .The main character, Willy Loman, believes wholeheartedly in American capitalism, and desires to "succeed" but his own greed _ him in the end.Death of a Salesman's first performance was a huge hit on Broadway, where it shocked the American theatre world, and strengthened the 33-year-old Miller's status as a master of American theatre.The play won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, New York Drama Critics' Circle, and the Tony Award for Best Play.The New York Times praised Death of a Salesman as a milestone of 20th century theatre.In 1999, Death of a Salesman received another Tony Award for Best Revival, and the then 83-year-old Miller was given the National Medal of Arts. 

The 1983 version of Death of a Salesman was directed personally by Arthur Miller on a visit to China, with Beijing director and actor Ying Ruocheng as the main character of Willy Loman.On May 7, 1983, the play was performed for the first time at the Capital Theatre, and the first series of performances lasted until August 18, with over 50 performances, some of which filled the house, and all of which had great influence. 

When it was first performed here, China didn't have "salesman" , so the actors had to use their imagination to represent the characters and American society, and the audiences weren't entirely sure about some information.For example, they couldn't understand what "fixed payments" were, or why, if Willy was a lower-class member of American society, his family had a house, car, refrigerator, and television.But this didn't stop the play from becoming a widely-known page in Beijing's theatre history.
Did China have real life salesman then?

When it was first performed here, China didn't have "salesman" , so