by Carla O’Gallchobhair

It is June of Year 17 of the Revolution which began in 2021 by the pre-revolutionary time count. Hélène’s Chinese opera project on the revolution, “Before – After. The Story of Xiaodan and Longwei” is the development of the debate ending in love and marriage between the revolutionary Longwei and the patriotic soldier Xiaodan, also the mistress of the Patriotic Army general, Guozhi. Guozhi, unfortunately, still collaborates with the reaction. For the last two years, the staging of the opera has been prevented by the Muddle, a global sabotage by the ex-capitalists affecting the internet as well as the revolutionary operating programme, Aurora. Two bands of comrades from Illyria, their rural cooperative near Aimeran, Yvelines, travel to China to save not only Hélène’s opera, but basic processes in economy and society and the future of the Communist revolution as a whole. Their ex-capitalist and fasco enemies are waiting for them.