A Chinese musical based on the award-winning Hong Kong action thriller “Infernal Affairs” will debut in Shanghai in December.
The musical, which stars Liu Yan and Ma Haisheng, has an international creative team that includes French composer William Rousseau, South Korean playwright Wang Yong-geom, Belgian musical director Björn Dobbelaere, Japanese director and choreographer Ney Hasegawa, among others.
“As a representative of Hong Kong film in the 21st century, ‘Infernal Affairs’ has been adapted in Japan, South Korea and Hollywood, making this IP global,” said producer Yu Xinyue.
“With this international creative team, we are giving this story a stage version with a new look while preserving the essence of the original work,” she said.
The 2022 film, which was directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak and based on a script by Mak and Felix Chong, features well-known Hong Kong actors led by Andy Lau and Tony Leung. They both play the role of police officers who infiltrate a triad undercover and another a covert spy for the same triad.
Ti Gong
Actors Ma Haisheng (left) and Liu Yan.
The film’s intriguing plot, character portrayal and emotional depth have earned it a stellar reputation.
“There are many close-ups in movies, but on stage, the presentation is mainly based on body language,” said Hasegawa.
“We will express the characters’ emotions, especially their desires, by magnifying the details of their body movements,” he said.
Ti Gong
Japanese director and choreographer Ney Hasegawa
According to musical director Dobbelaere, the songs in the musical are inspired by French electric pop.
“The music can be described as dark and heart-hitting, as the industrial rhythms underline the theme of the story,” he said.
After six years of preparation, the Chinese musical will meet audiences at the Shanghai Grand Theater on December 20. According to the producer, more language versions of the musical will be made in the future to reach global audiences.
Ti Gong
Belgium director Björn Dobbelaere
Performance info:
Dates: December 20-26, 7:30pm
Tickets: 180-880 yuan
Venue: Shanghai Grand Theater 上海大剧院
Address: 300 People’s Ave 人民大道300号