Xinhua Insight: World classics in the spotlight of China's children's theater

Middle school student Fang Zhengyi recently watched a teenagers' version of Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" in downtown Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province.

The comedy was the first play he had seen in a theater. "The storyline is simpler than the original play, but I loved the experience. It is more interesting than domestic plays I have watched online," he said.

The play, adapted by Zhejiang Drama Ensemble, was the opening event at a national festival for teen drama, which runs from May 28 to June 10 as part of celebrations for International Children's Day.

The children's edition puts more emphasis on seeking happiness than on romance, and the actors, in European-style costumes, play on a rotating stage surrounded by pillars. The adaptation is filled with Chinese songs.

Among the 23 plays selected from around the nation, 10 are Chinese adaptations of foreign fairy tales, novels or plays, including "Cinderella" and "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." At the previous festival three years ago, there were far fewer.

Liu Ping, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, feels more foreign plays at the Ministry of Culture event is a good thing for children.

"Children's plays from the West have a long tradition and are usually rich in humanist spirit, making them good resources to nurture aesthetic values," said Liu.

Among the foreign adaptations, some are directed by foreign artists, including "Genesis," which tells the story of how the world began, directed by Giacomo Ravicchio with the Meridiano Theater of Denmark.

Another play, "The Wonderful Adventures of Nils," is close to an international production. Not only the director, but also the artists, musicians and stage designers are from Britain and Australia.

A GROWING MARKET

Liu believes the increase in foreign elements reflected the expanding exchange between Chinese and foreign theater.

The market potential of children's play is huge in China with its 280 million children and teenagers. Among them, 220 million are under 14. On one hand, there are only about 20 professional theater companies specializing in children's plays; on the other, children's plays are growing more popular as better-off parents take their children to theaters for a taste of the performing arts.

For example, Zhejiang Drama Ensemble staged about 500 plays about five years ago. In 2014, it staged more than 800 plays, with more than two thirds for children. The ensemble chose to adapt "Twelfth Night" because Shakespeare's classics are household names that can reach parents and children without much advertizing.

GOOD NEWS - BAD NEWS

Liu said the proliferation of foreign works at an event showcasing the best plays of the past three years indicated how domestic theater is struggling for quality homegrown plays.

Most domestic plays tell contemporary stories set in classrooms or among family but, according to Liu, are weak in stretching children's imaginations.

Foreign plays and foreign artists give domestic playwrights a boost, but not everyone is happy with foreign classics ruling theaters. Chen Yingxian, a children's drama critic, said foreign plays or adaptations meant less attention for Chinese classics, every bit as rich a pool of plays for children.

At the festival, a domestic play about the early life of famous Peking Opera artist received huge applause due to its stunning costumes and beautiful staging. The play, performed by Beijing Opera Arts College, encourages hard work and filial piety in addition to giving an introduction to the basics of Peking Opera.

Chen wants to see more quality plays like this rather than foreign ones, but as a young theatergoer, Fang Zhengyi prefers foreign adaptations to domestic works. "They help me get a glimpse into other worlds," he explained. Endi