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Shanghai director starts Shakespeare troupe
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EDITOR’S Note:
Laughs, tears and a lot of sweat — after a long slump, drama is blooming on China’s mainland. Theater is now an integral part of the city’s cosmopolitan lifestyle, and production budgets increase along with audience numbers. Numerous outstanding talents are emerging as they try to pursue their dream of being on stage. In this column, we interview those devoted to producing original theater in China — from directors, playwrights and actors to those pulling the strings behind the curtain.
PLAYWRIGHT and theater director Shi Jun made his name widely known in China with his original work “Shanghai Zuo Nu” (Shanghai Trouble-making Woman, 2002) and “Perfume” (2004).
As associate professor at Shanghai Theater Academy, this multi-talented artist recently founded Shanghai Splendid Shakespeare Bilingual Troupe, an non-governmental organization, in cooperation with Professor Shi Zhikang, a scholar on Shakespearean studies. It aims to raise public interest in Shakespeare’s plays through bilingual performances.
“Shanghai is one of the birthplaces of Chinese drama and a metropolis in terms of culture. The prominent position of this very city calls for diversified stage creations,” he says.
Having worked on Chinese original dramas for over two decades, Shi says he used to struggle with his love for theater when the industry was at the bottom.
When he started out, theater was little appreciated. “There were only seven original dramas performed in public back then. And the two biggest drama troupes were combined as the market was too small. Many old theaters were closed as well,” Shi recalls.
“I was conflicted at the time as a graduate-to-be — leaving the theater to make a better living in TV industry or following my heart,” he says.
His black-humor comedy “Shanghai Zuo Nu” is regarded as one of the first dramas about white-collar office ladies in China. Hai Yan, a local TV hostess, was one of the actresses.
“The success was out of my expectation,” Shi says. “Audiences bought tickets at prices six times higher than the original one at only 80 yuan (US$12.30).”
The play was soon copied.
Two years later, Shi created a TV series script based on a famous online novel “The First Intimate Contact” by Taiwanese writer Tsai Chih-heng. Inspired by the story, Shi created “Perfume” about two couples — one in Shanghai and one in France — who are connected by a special perfume. This show was restaged several times at the Shanghai Drama Arts Center.
“Chinese original dramas need new ideas to attract audiences and push the industry to go on, and I will never stop trying,” Shi says.
Many big names in today’s Chinese theaters are students of Shi, such as Liu Fangqi who directed the famous dramas “The Lost Tomb” and “Tiny Times” adapted from movies; and Lin Yi who is well-known for directing many of Agatha Christie’s works.
As one of few scholars studying history of drama on China’s mainland, Shi says that a successful work should also be successful in marketing and ticket sales.
His passion for theater is continuing with his new troupe.
“This year marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death. Shanghai Splendid Shakespeare Bilingual Troupe will try to enhance the promotion of Shanghai culture as well as promoting Chinese culture to the world,” he says.
Preparations are under way to present classic plays like “Romeo and Juliet,” “As You Like It,” “Macbeth” and “Hamlet.” The group is now planning a music party “Listening to Shakespeare,” which will be held at Shanghai Concert Hall in late September, when the members will recite Shakespeare’s sonnets and perform excerpts from Shakespeare’s classic plays and opera arias as well as music pieces adapted from Shakespeare’s plays.
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