Shanghai braces for Woman in Black

The stage version of the classic Victorian ghost story The Woman in Black has been running on London's West End for more than 20 years. Finally it is coming to Shanghai.

Stephen Mallatratt's clever stage adaptation of Susan Hill's novel is the key to the play's longevity, said Wang Yang, who is directing the Chinese version.

"Mallatratt, who passed away a few years ago, was very familiar with the theater. He adeptly achieved the flow of time and space on the stage, with minimum stage design and only two actors," Wang said.

"We bought the copyright of the script, not the whole production, so much of the play is in our hands," he said. "I haven't had the opportunity to see the original production in London. I'll use my imagination and hope for the best."

The plot concerns a solicitor who is summoned to a small market town on the east coast of England to attend the funeral of an elderly widow, who lived by herself in a desolate and secluded house.

"It is a story about revenge, and the serious consequences this dark side of humanity can have," said Producer Li Shengying, who is helping to bring the play to Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center.

"It is very fast-paced. The main actor performs seven different roles, and the scenes change in the blink of an eye. We think it will give Shanghai audiences a new experience," said Li. "We've had quite a few Agatha Christie stories staged in Shanghai in the past few years and the audiences love them, but some are almost unbearably slow. I think it's time for them to see something different."

Xu Chengxian will take on the challenge of the main lead. The 65-year-old has cemented his reputation over the past few years in a series of original Chinese plays as well as adaptations of Western classics such as "Dr. Faustus".

"In the 1960s, when we studied under Huang Zuolin, he suggested we try many different roles with a simple change of costume. This brought about the most theatrical effect with minimum stage props when we toured in the countryside," Xu told Shanghai Star Weekend during a break from rehearsals.

In The Woman in Black, Xu's roles include a coachman, a real-estate agent, a waiter and a businessman. The pace is so fast he often only has 20-30 seconds to change costumes and get back on stage.

"That is the greatest challenge of the play, having the actor jump in and out of a role frequently," said Wang.

Much of the play unfolds as the actors narrate the story on stage.

"Audiences will find the play challenging not only to their intelligence, but also to their imagination," Wang added.

"I usually research my characters before I step into the role and design some distinctive quality for each one," said Xu. "For example, I bought a large pipe for the businessman, so that it can stand out as a signature motif for him."

Xu joined the Shanghai People's Art Theater at 16. He retired as director a few years ago and since then has made his fame as an actor. Today's Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center is the product of a merger between Xu's former company and the Shanghai Youth Theater Group.

"We have been engaged in theatrical productions since the late 1970s, but going to the theater has only recently become a popular pastime in Shanghai. My whole life has melted into the stage here," said Xu.

"Even during the most difficult times, when there was hardly any money to pay our salaries, I always had faith in the theater, which is like my battlefield. If I suddenly got three months of vacation now, I'd probably get sick," he joked.

7:30 pm, July 17-Aug 1 (except Mondays)

Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center - Art Theater

288 Anfu Road

安福路288号

Tel: 6473-4567, 6473-0123

Tickets: 100-200 yuan

(China Daily 07/11/2009 page14)