The cycle of time is really quite a lot, and even more so for the theater circle, because the charm of famous works will attract countless theater workers to make new stage interpretations, and the stage has become a safe place for these works, and it has also become a dream of memories for generations. Shakespeare's Hamlet is one of them, and this work is like a pearl that does not fade and shines forever in the long river of history.
I have had the privilege of experiencing the creation of three editions of Hamlet in my country, and the first and third editions after 31 years have made me think about it.
I remember the first time I came into contact with Hamlet, I was still young, I only knew that it was a story of a prince's revenge, and for a girl, such a topic was too heavy, but somehow I left my regret for Ophelia in my heart. Growing up, I saw three versions of Hamlet in Germany in the 1980s, when the German Colosseum was still very conservative and there were many stale interpretations of the works. After watching it, I just feel that the presentation of the stage is nothing more than the accumulation of lines. Therefore, after returning to China, I firmly believe that director Lin Zhaohua and his partners will come up with a wonderful "Hamlet", and this belief was finally realized in 1990. It was then that I began to pay attention to Pu Cunxin, who played Hamlet, who did not like to talk, always sat quietly in the corner, and he sometimes murmured with the script, giving me the impression of a calm person. But on stage he was full of passion, sometimes even a crazy beast, and this strong contrast remained deep in my mind.
30 years later, I was surprised by a phone call from Pu Cunxin, who told me that he was going to the Shanghai Theater Academy to rehearse Hamlet for tibetan classes and that he was going to use the 1990 version of the script. Although I have always known that he loved Shakespeare's work, I know even more that if a director does not have his own independent interpretation, the work cannot stand up. Why did he ask for such a challenge?
When I walked into the rehearsal hall, I found the answer — it would be a very viable version, although the Tibetan children's Mandarin worried me a little. On the day of the premiere, at halftime, I knew that Director Pu's debut had been successful, and I was in a much more relaxed mood, and I was happy for all the collaborators who made this version of Hamlet.
Compared with the 1990 version, the director tries to emphasize two levels of content from the content of the script: one is Hamlet in the chaotic world, and the other is the overlap and comparison of the aristocratic and commoner classes. The reason why Hamlet is so attractive to theater workers is because Shakespeare gives a simple revenge story many new dimensions, making the play almost an "encyclopedia" of life. I've done a brief count of about 15 to 20 levels, and the director can deduce his own version from any one level. Pu Cunxin's version first highlights Hamlet in a troubled world, that is, the story takes place in a war-torn era, and the relationship between Norway, Denmark, England, and Poland is both the basis for the king's actions, and Hamlet is aware of the impact of these relationships on his own behavior. This aspect of political philosophy enriches the context of the revenge story and makes the audience more understanding hamlet's line that "the world is a big prison." The second level emphasized by the director is the comparison between the commoner class and the aristocratic class. Through the dialogue of the gravediggers in front of each scene, the director emphasizes the perception of class hierarchy and the ridicule of the upper class, including Hamlet. It is these two levels that guarantee the uniqueness of the director's interpretation and lay the foundation for this version.
How will the graduates of the Tibetan class, who could not speak Mandarin fluently before entering the school, master the performance? That is also my concern. A sentence from the director in the rehearsal hall answered my question, the director said: "From now on, I will let you do what you want to express, and I will not obstruct it." "Obviously, the director gave the guidance and gave the actors full freedom throughout the rehearsal, so that we could see that the very young actors on the stage could shape the character so freely without embarrassing a moment.
The director rehearsed a total of three Hamlets, each with its own strengths. In my opinion, the greatest charm of these actors lies in the synchronization of mind and body. Hamlet's famous monologue, "Survival or Destruction," is a line that is difficult to express; it can easily become the product of "contemplation" or "narcissism", but the performances of these actors are psychologically layered by the rhythm of the body, so the language that comes out is calm, with a little passion, with a little doubt, with a little sadness, and the confusion of a young prince is justified.
Other characters are also very well represented, such as the king's momentum, such as the small cleverness and great stupidity of the ministers.
The director's grasp of group performance is also in place, the appearance of ghosts is always accompanied by group pictures, and the treatment of the singular becoming plural is a metaphor for the dark side of the world, which seems to be an indictment of some group.
The choreography and musical processing are also impressive. The stage is very simple, and a chair in a barbershop represents the throne. The dotted ropes above the stage illustrate Hamlet's situation. A torn garment descending from above illustrates both the old king's misfortune and the devastated human world. Music is made up of two parts, one is a very ephemeral tune that is used for transitions and is never sensational, and the other part is an angelic chant.
In this version of Hamlet, Pu Cunxin showed his potential as a director. I've always thought that hamlet is a mystery in a way, and it's amazing that a director can decipher part of it, and a good actor can show part of it. Pu Cunxin spanned 30 years from interpreting Hamlet to directing "Hamlet", although the time is a bit long, but it must be emphasized that it is the tempering on the stage and his diligent thinking characteristics in these 30 years that ensure the success of this version of "Hamlet", really happy for him, I hope that his works can go to a larger world stage.
The pictures are all of the famous performance artist Pu Cunxin, invited by the opera, to direct the first Tibetan undergraduate class of the Shanghai Theater Academy of 2017 and the graduation drama "Hamlet" of the 2017 Stage Art Department. The performance is specially divided into two versions: "Mandarin" and "Tibetan" (stills provided by the performer)
Author: Li Jianming (well-known playwright and translator)
Editor: Fan Xin
Editor-in-Charge: Xuanjing
*Wenhui exclusive manuscript, please indicate the source when reprinting.