The Prince's Revenge, an Ambitous Adaptation of Hamlet

Probably many of us have at least a passing acquaintance with Shakespeare's epic tragedy Hamlet. The Shanghai Peking Opera Theatre certainly does, but they have gone a step further by channeling their knowledge into a Chinese interpretation of this story. Entitled "the Prince's Revenge", this Peking opera portrays the tragic life of the Danish prince and represents an impressive cross-pollination of Oriental and Occidental theatre performance. 　　　　

To be, or not to be: that is the question: 　　

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer 　　

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, 　　

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, 　　

And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep; 　

no more; and by a sleep to say we end 　　

The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks 　　

That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation 　　

Devoutly to be wish'd. 　　

That was one of many outstanding and classic monologues from Shakespeare's Hamlet, which have all been respectfully preserved in a new adaptation by the Shanghai Peking Opera Theatre. Entitled "the Prince's Revenge", this work was finally unveiled domestically during the 7th Shanghai International Arts Festival. 　　

In this Chinese reproduction of Hamlet, the revenge motif and theatrical format is maintained, but the story's location is altered to Chi Guo, an imaginary city in ancient China. The characters are also renamed in Chinese, even Hamlet, who becomes Zi Dan in "the Prince's Revenge". As stated, Hamlet's monologues have been maintained, but they are now presented in the form of Peking opera arias.