Nobel laureate Mo Yan's debut drama 'Crocodile' premieres in Suzhou

Addressing the audience at the curtain call, Mo said, "I am very excited. I feel so familiar with many scenes in it, yet so unfamiliar. It shows that the production team have made new adaptions indeed based on my script."

"I think a good play is like a mirror of life. It allows everyone to see ourselves - our purity, as well as weaknesses similar to the characters in the play. Such observations are not just about appreciating art, but also about reflecting on our own lives," he continued.

After watching the show, Yang Zi, a researcher at the Shanghai Art Research Center, noted that it's not common to use a villain as the main focus in Chinese dramas.

"In this play, the crocodile has become a symbol of human desire, serving as a precise instrument to explore the complexity of human nature… There are many comedic moments, but after laughing, people may think about whether the desires in their hearts are also growing and expanding infinitely like a crocodile," said Yang.

After its premiere in Suzhou, Crocodile will tour around China through September, stopping in cities including Nanjing, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing.