‘The Dream of The Red Chamber’ returns with new look

Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center’s self-produced six-hour “The Dream of The Red Chamber” has returned to stage with a new look.

Based on the Chinese classic of the same name, the play premiered in September, 2021, impressing audiences with its contemporary aesthetics.

The creators have since made some adjustments to the light, sound and costumes design.

White is still the theme color of the stage and costumes, though the characteristics of each character have been strengthened, making them more recognizable on stage. The second half of the play features more gray and black colors, a metaphor for the fate of the characters and the family.

The story in the play didn’t deviate from the original novel. Scriptwriter Yu Rongjun breaks the timeline of the original work and restructures the story based on the relationships between characters, the struggle between people and fate, connecting dreams and reality.

“I hope our version of ‘The Dream of The Red Chamber’ is thoughtful, conveying the strength to fight against the secular world,” said Yu.

As a literary classic, “The Dream of The Red Chamber” contains rich Chinese philosophy, reflecting the confrontation between people’s free will and irresistible fate in their lives. The setbacks and failure lead to people’s self-perception and introspection, and eventually the relief about life.

“We hope to arouse audiences’ emotions by showing the spiritual world of the characters in the play, to glimpse the essence of life through tragedy, and to grasp the existence of the present,” said director Cao Yan.

Performance info:

Dates: Through September 22, 2pm/7:30pm

Tickets: 360-1288 yuan

Venue: Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center 上海话剧艺术中心

Address: 288 Anfu Rd 安福路288号