Shuihu (Water Margin) and Honglou (Dream of the Red Chamber) Adaptations on the Modern Stage

Abstract

Two performances at the National Theater in Taipei 台北國家戲劇院 in December 2014 adapted masterworks of classical Chinese novels: Dangkou zhi 蕩寇誌 (108 Heroes: Tales from Water Margin) directed by Wu Hsing-kuo 吳興國 (1953–) and Honglou meng 紅樓夢 (What is Sex?) directed by Edward Lam 林奕華 (1959–). Both Wu Hsing-kuo from Taiwan and Edward Lam from Hong Kong are known for their experimental theater. Dangkou zhi, based on the story of Shuihu zhuan 水滸傳 (Water Margin) from chapters 72 to 120, is a play in the form of Jingju 京劇 (Peking opera) blended with rock and roll music. It was the premiere of the Honglou meng play, and Edward Lam appeared on stage for the curtain call. Lam’s production is a spoken drama (huaju 話劇) on selected chapters of the novel Honglou meng (Dream of the Red Chamber), but the main performers in this interpretation are twelve males in place of the twelve beauties in the novel to suggest man’s self-reflection in relation to woman. In their Dangkou zhi and Honglou meng, Wu and Lam incorporate traditional Chinese literature and opera with Western and modern art forms, and convey contemporary concerns through a creative and critical interpretation of two literary classics. This story of Dangkou zhi starts with Yan Qing asking the courtesan Li Shishi to secure Song Jiang an imperial amnesty through her connection with Emperor Huizong of the Song dynasty and ends with Song Jiang and Li Kui dying from poisoned wine by imperial order. Granted the amnesty, Song Jiang leads the heroes of Mount Liang at the emperor’s order on a punitive expedition against the state of