. . . while husband Zhang's underground writings defy the civil tone of the state's cultural watchdogs

If prominent 'underground' playwright Zhang Xian gets a knock on his Shanghai door and a visit by the authorities one evening, he'll be expecting it - although he's not sure what form the visit will take or even why. He's had them visit before, and he's wondering when he may hear that knock again.

'Whether there'll be someone from the psychiatry institution, the people from the cultural bureau or from the police station - what kind of people will come to find trouble with me I have no idea,' he says, shrugging his tall frame. 'I'm still expecting them.'

If Zhang is a bit paranoid, somewhat crazy, or spot-on correct, he doesn't know - but the precedent is already there. Due to the long arm of state cultural minders, only a handful of his nearly 50 plays have been performed publicly. The ones that have been staged in state-run theatres, such as Margin Calls and Wife from America, became box-office and critical successes.

'I believe what I am most devoted to is free writing, with no political right or wrong about it,' he says. 'Other writers might have stopped their writing because of this reason, but I wouldn't. I will continue my writing even if my writing will have to be held in the drawer for future publication. I just hope that in the near future these writings will be able to come to the world.'

During rehearsals for Margin Upstairs, he says, the authorities went through the scripts well after midnight and decided that it should not be publicly performed in state-run theatres. Members of the city government called an urgent meeting and warned the major newspapers and TV channels against publicising the show. But word of mouth helped make the production a success in underground venues.

'After the commercial success of the play Margin Upstairs, I decided to make it into a movie and we went to Beijing, but some people in Shanghai informed the authorities in the National Security Bureau and so the National Broadcasting and Television stopped this from being filmed,' he says. 'So, from that time, I know some people have their eye on me and keep watching me and my activities.'