How Shanghai adds its twist to the classics

• Source: Global Times
• [09:26 July 22 2010]
• Comments

The Chinese version of Christie's A Murder is Announced, will open on July 28, produced by the Theater Company of Modern Man of Shanghai (TCMM), one of the city's oldest established theater companies.

Several years ago, this company's production of Albert Camus' classic The Plague was very popular (one actor played the 12 roles in the play).

"It was the first time in Shanghai that a serious work had been adapted into Chinese and it was a challenge for us. We tried our best to respect the artistic quality of the original work," Zhang Yu, the director of TCMM said.

More enthusiastic

But when The Plague went on tour it became obvious that Shanghai audiences were more enthusiastic than audiences in other cities.

This could explain why Shanghai's international approach to theater is unique in the country. The Plague was revived this month in Shanghai for the third time.

Zhang pointed out another reason for the upsurge of Chinese adaptations of Western plays in Shanghai. "There is a lack of creativity in the theater here," Zhang said.

He said more and more professional playwrights in Shanghai are writing for films and television which pay a lot more. "The money gap is definitely more than a little. At present the market price for the script of an original stage play ranges from 10,000 ($1,475) to 50,000 yuan, but for a television series or a movie a script can be worth between 200,000 ($29,502) and 600,000 yuan."

"Theater has to rely on young graduates writing original plays and most lack the maturity to do this well," Zhang said.