"Green Snake" hits Hong Kong stage

Most Chinese are familiar with the Song Dynasty classic "The Legend of the White Snake," a romantic tale about a young man named Xu Xian and a snake spirit-turned-human called Bai Suzhen. But Green Snake, Bai’s companion, has become the focus of Hong Kong this weekend. Jin Jiabo brings us the drama there.

Written by Hong Kong novelist Lee Pid-wah, the story of Green Snake tells the hard process of spirits evolving into humans, and humans evolving into Buddha. This process, filled with hatred, jealousy and lust, has captured the imagination of Beijing theater director Tian Qinxin.

Tian Qinxin, Director, "Green Snake", said, "The difficult part is how to show Song Dynasty tales on the stage. Because none of us know how people looked at that time. So how should we show the tale? How should two snake spirits perform? How about Xu Xian, the human being? How about Fa Hai, the monk? "

For the snakes, director Tian chose two star actresses Qin Hailu and Yuan Quan, both of whom had been trained in Peking Opera before specializing in theatre. This experience helped them perform more like a snake.

For Xu Xian, the husband of Bai Suzhen, his costume shows his human weaknesses.

Chen Gufang, Costume Designer, "Green Snake", said, "Xu Xian looks honest and plain at first glance, but he is a human. The human nature here could be worshipped as a virtue, and can also be regarded as a weakness. Actually the nature of human beings has never been perfect. So I made his clothing deep blue and grey. Deep blue looks ordinary at first, but also has a sense of mystery and confusion."

Yet Fa Hai, the monk, could be the most difficult character to portray. Instead of being the conventional antagonist, the monk in this drama is the protagonist. The focus is no longer on his schemes to separate Bai and Xu, but the fact that he is still a novice struggling to smother his carnal desires.

Xin Baiqing, "Fa Hai", "Green Snake", said, "It was very difficult for me, since this was my very first time playing the part of a monk. So I stayed in a temple for more than two weeks. I had morning classes, attended every event, and tried to live and behave as one of the monks. Gradually I could feel some sense of the monk’s quality in myself. "

Green Snake is also a collaboration between the National Theatre of China and the National Theatre of Scotland. This collaboration adds more to this drama, in terms of music and setting.

David Paul Jones, Composer, "Green Snake", said, "It’s very strong Chinese style. But also layer a little strings, quite Western European approach. So it is what I thought of the theme of the lovers. "

Merle Hensel, Stage Designer, "Green Snake", said, "For me water is female element. Because water is something very fluid, water adapts, also water has to take on the shape around over. To me it is very symbolic. The build thing is the male world. And you have the female form which a lot of time still needs to adapt to the male world. //But it is also the different world. So the water is the spirit world, the snake world. They come from water, the water snakes. The set is very tall, is very epic, very strong. So I imagined if you first come as an animal spirit, this is the human world quite overwhelming. "

For director Tian, with the international cooperation, she has found flaws in Chinese dramas.

Tian Qinxin said, "Our technique is behind theirs. There is a smaller population in England. When setting up theater, we usually call for more labor. And human labor does not cost so much. But in England, things are different. They may only have 8 people making the setting, compared to 20 or 30 members in our team….We should realize this and learn from them. What’s more, we need promote Chinese culture around the world. "

After the world premiere in Hong Kong this weekend, Green Snake will go on a national tour, and has been invited to the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington DC.