Director Li Guoxiu (L2) and leading actress Wang Yue (L1) for Shamlet attended a press conference held at the National Center for the Performing Arts on Dec 18. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.COM/ Liu Bing]

A situational comedy called "Shamlet" which transfers Shakespeare's famous tragedy Hamlet into a comedy, and which includes "150 laughing spots, 50 times for clapping and an 8-minute standing ovation" will soon hit Beijing for a second time.

It has nothing to do with Shakespeare, but does have a relationship with Hamlet. A situational comedy called "Shamlet" which transfers Shakespeare's famous tragedy Hamlet into a comedy, and which includes "150 laughing spots, 50 times for clapping and an 8-minute standing ovation" will soon hit Beijing for a second time.

Invited to participate in the first international performance season of the National Center for the Performing Arts, "Shamlet" is bound to rock the grand theater with laughter from January 16th to 20th.

For a top class opening ceremony, people would usually expect the performances to be straight-laced and serious, but not this time, for "Shamlet", a comedy that even looks a little bit noisy, was also included in the bill.

Li Zhixiang, head of the performance department of the grand theater had this to say.

"We attach great importance to the artistic achievement of the show. The regional style and performance abilities, these are all taken into consideration. 'Shamlet' has already debuted once in Beijing. The response from audiences was pretty good. We could tell by the thunderous applause."

After 99 shows over the Taiwan Strait, "Shamlet" first hit the stage last May in Beijing. It not only made audiences burst into laughter; it also offered them the opportunity to experience a different kind of humor from Taiwan. For the first half hour of the show, the audience was just smiling, but by the end they were rolling in the aisles!

It's well known that Hamlet is one of Shakespeare's four most representative tragic works, so just how did the Ping-Fong Acting Troupe change it into a comedy? Director and playwright Li Guoxiu, who also established the acting troupe, explains how the idea came about.

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Director Li Guoxiu for Shamlet attended a press conference held at the National Center for the Performing Arts on Dec 18. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.COM/ Liu Bing]

"I am not qualified to be compared with Shakespeare for he was so great. The only thing I am superior to him at is still being alive! I can do the things I want, and write plays I like. I've read Hamlet many times. In it I saw the tragic elements as possibilities for comedy. On such a prime assumption, I decided to try something."

It takes about 4 hours to complete Shakespeare's Hamlet, which is too long for audiences and actors to bear. Thus, Li chose 7 important scenes and created a backstage drama.

"'Shamlet' tells of intrigue in a third-class acting troupe; the Feng-Ping Acting Troupe is a tragedy itself, and they are acting Hamlet which is a tragedy too. When you put these two together, it becomes a situational comedy."

Leading actress Wang Yue for Shamlet attended a press conference held at the National Center for the Performing Arts on Dec 18. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.COM/ Liu Bing]

Li Guoxiu also emphasized that audiences don't have to worry about getting lost if they don't know much about Hamlet.

"If you ask me to retell Hamlet clearly, I can't do it either. If audiences just come with an open mind and enjoy the show it will be fine. It's said that laymen watch for fun while professionals look for the heart of the matter. We are here to make you happy, and you just laugh; but meanwhile, if you are looking for some literary meaning, the show is to some extend deep too."
Professer Zhang Xian from The Center Academy of Drama echoes Li's words.

"'Shamlet' is a very peculiar work. You can get different conclusions when you look from various sides. According to its performance style, it's a comedy. But if you think carefully, you will realzse it's a tragedy, a tragedy about life. People are very happy when they stand up to applaud, but the moment when they sit down becomes very sad, especially when the show comes to an end."

In order to draw in a more international audience, the show will have English subtitles.