Review: The Revenge of Prince Zi Dan

Photo: Liu Haifa

By Alice Longhurst

How many Shakespeare performances do you think get put on in this country every year? Far too many to count of course, but each is subtly different, ranging from stiff traditional stagings to loose contemporary interpretations. As our favourite playwright, and a keystone of our culture, he is a constantly familiar presence, like an old amiable uncle everyone talks to, but never takes the time to fully get to know and understand. This is probably our main problem with interpreting Shakespeare, we think we know him so well, and thus we do not make the effort to dig more deeply.

A possible antidote to this over-familiarity can be found when Shakespeare is translated into other cultures, resulting in a fusion of his timeless tales with striking performance traditions from other countries. The Revenge of Prince Zi Dan, a Peking Opera version of Hamlet, which closes tonight at the Festival Theatre, Edinburgh is one such example. This performance provides a beautiful and unusual interpretation, combining a typically Chinese performance method with a European-based story which actually began life as a Viking folk tale.

One of the most noticeable differences about this Chinese version is how it renders Hamlet comical when in this country we usually identify the story as a tragedy. There are many humorous touches, including the dwarf prime minister who goes about on his knees, and even the final death scene which is made amusing by his odd manner of collapse. This is a clear example of how such different performances can challenge audiences to look again at their bard and appreciate new ways of understanding his work.

The production is exquisite, showcasing the distinct elements of Peking Opera. Royal characters wear heavy elaborate costumes with wonderful headdresses, and have bold painted faces which obscure their human identity. Adding further meaning to the finery is the traditional Chinese colour vocabulary; yellow is for kings and queens, while white indicates youth and is worn by Zi Dan and Yin Le, his Ophelia.

The acting itself is very formal, conforming to traditional conventions on vocal roles, graceful ritual dance, and fighting scenes. Tension is added to the action on stage by harsh percussion pieces using cymbals, wood clappers and drums, while the orchestra play typically Chinese instruments like the moon-lute, or zhongruan, and jinghu, a two-stringed fiddle which is covered with snakeskin.

Although the singing is in Mandarin, the narrative is explained by the English surtitles which cleverly convey much of the poetry of the original. Intriguingly, the use of a foreign language actually makes Hamlet more accessible. Forcing the audience to really focus on reading the translation and to pay careful attention to the happenings on stage brings a deeper understanding of both the story and the human emotions that lie behind it. The Prince of Zi Dan is at once an impeccably beautiful production by a talented opera troupe and an invitation for Western audiences to look afresh at a work they think they know so well.

The Revenge of Prince Zi Dan

Shanghai Peking Opera Troupe

Friday 19 – Sunday 21 August

Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

eif.co.uk/revenge

The Edinburgh International Festival runs from 12 August – 4 September. Browse the programme and book online at eif.co.uk or call 0131 473 2000.

Review: King Lear

Photo: Dirk Bleicker

By Órla Murray

Royal Lyceum Theatre
Monday 15 August

Wu Hsing-kuo’s one man performance of King Lear is a profoundly different retelling of Shakespeare’s tragic play, proving that a simple, minimal set juxtaposed with a vivid soundscape is all that is needed to create an engaging and moving backdrop to a solo performance of epic proportions.

This distinctive production of Lear places the classic male eponymous role front and centre, illustrating how challenging the character of Lear is both physically and emotionally for the actor, whilst simultaneously playing up the egoism required to properly command the position.

Act One plays out the internal monologue and mental anguish suffered during Lear’s descent into madness, whilst mixing in the music, sounds and song of traditional Peking Opera style theatre that Wu himself is best known for. There are echoes of postmodernist literature sprinkled sparingly throughout the retelling whereby Wu allows himself - the actor - to speak and remark on his interaction with Lear. These moments between the audience and actor are brief and seem incidental, ensuring it does not feel heavy handed.

Wu manages to pull off an astonishing medley of character transformations in Act Two, when the performance appears to become an abstract extrapolation of Lear’s use of the royal “we” - all the characters are played by this unstoppable force of an actor. The intense emphasis on the eponymous Lear puts a new spin on the old tale, allowing us to feel the difference between Lear’s own tragedy and that of other characters in the story.

Wu is astonishingly nimble when leaping between characters as he tip-toes, stomps and prances about the stage, which allows him to both metaphorically and literally slip between roles. He moves effortlessly into physically demanding sequences of movement accompanied by haunting and atmospheric music. He contrasts almost farcical interpretations of the daughters Goneril and Regan and endearingly funny playings of the Fool and Edgar, with his serious, and unfortunately, brief moments as Edmund, Gloucester and Cordelia. Regardless of the characters though, the action is always either directed to Lear or is Lear.

Light and sound were effectively used to fill the stage, dwarfing the actor and emphasising his aloneness. This is particularly striking in the third and final act when Wu plays out the deaths of Cordelia and Lear with an emotional intensity that takes the audience by surprise. The last haunting visual we see is Lear carrying clothing in a pieta style representing dead Cordelia, just before he himself is lifted high off the stage with a single spotlight fading over his face.

Whilst the production was incredibly striking and deeply touching in parts, there was a distinct inaccessibility hanging over the reinterpretation. For those who are unacquainted with the twists and turns of Shakespeare’s King Lear, this production might not provide sufficient context or explanation to sufficiently engage and enthral as it does for those familiar with the original story. Regardless of this, however, the cultural and aesthetic elements are incredibly beautiful and absorbing, giving ample opportunity for even the most unenthused theatre-goer to find delight and wonder in this blend of Shakespeare and Peking Opera.

 If, indeed one is already a fan of such classical productions, then this is a challenging and ultimately rewarding addition to theatrical interpretations of Lear’s struggles, told in a way which allows the audience to feel the actor’s challenges and thus better understand the character’s profound loneliness. A visually pleasing and aurally distinct piece which showcases both the brilliance of Wu as an actor/writer/director and the distinct traditions of Far East Asia in all their theatrical glory.

King Lear
Contemporary Legend Theatre

13 – 16 August
Royal Lyceum Theatre

eif.co.uk/lear

The Edinburgh International Festival runs from 12 August – 4 September. Browse and book online at eif.co.uk or call 0131 473 2000.

Review: The Tempest

Photo: 2DOHEE 2010

By Mateusz Jazdzewski

King’s Theatre, Edinburgh
Saturday 13 August

For those of us unfamiliar with Asian theatre it may have come as a surprise that two of the four productions at this year’s Festival are based on Shakespeare. The Mokwha Repertory Company’s The Tempest interprets Shakespeare’s plot in the context of Korean history and culture.

Mokwha’s production has a visually coherent and attractive structure, with ritual choreography, mask theatre, beautiful live music and dancers of great physical skill. Every element is perfectly synchronised and the strength of the lighting design allows the sequence of colourful images to run as smoothly as a pulsing rollercoaster.

Sceptics could be disappointed that the visual elements of the performance take precedence and that none of the serious matters or relationships between the characters are deepened. But perhaps we should not expect a Korean company to read The Tempest in the same context and manner as it is often read in Europe. This production proves that impressive choreography and intriguing music can do the work of a thousand words.

Since the 1960s when dramas by Shakespeare, Ibsen and Shaw began to appear on the Korean stage they have been intertwined with the country’s own stories and styles of drama. The Tempest is realised in just this fashion as director Tae-Suk Oh transport’s Shakespeare’s characters into the frame of similar history from 5^th-century Korea. At that time, two brothers were competing for the throne; one was forced to leave the country and they met and were reconciled many year’s later – just as in Shakespeare’s comedy.

And the director has clearly emphasised the comedy of the piece. Both the physicality of the acting and the delivery of particularly frivolous lines produce an enthusiastic reaction from the audience. Notable is the sequence parodying Swan Lake when the stage is crossed by a row of actors dressed as giant Korean ducks as well as the physical skill extremely entertaining performances of the two actors portraying the double-headed monster, Caliban.

The Tempest clearly fits with the Festival’s aim of showcasing work from the east that offers a unique perspective on western culture, bringing east and west together in visual, physical comedy.

The Tempest

Mokwha Repertory Company

13-16 August, 7.30pm

King's Theatre, Edinburgh

eif.co.uk/tempest

The Edinburgh International Festival runs from 12 August – 4 September. Browse and book online at eif.co.uk or call 0131 473 2000.