Imagine a father having to sacrifice his son to save the last member of a noble line. And Chen Ying, a humble country doctor, does it because he must honor an "understanding," a vow, which in his culture is eternal. The Orphan of Zhao stresses the importance of vows by showing the cost. Along with stylized, physical movement and atmosphere (abetted by live musicians) one of the fascinations of this piece: in this culture right and wrong are palpable, duties are always clear, and the individual is a small part of a much larger whole. The story goes back thousands of years. Directed by Carey Perloff, the production moves faster than James Fenton's prosaic, pedestrian adaptation. BD Wong heads the cast as Chen Ying. His indelible moment, when Chen must watch his son slayed, and not react, is worth the price of admission.