'The General and Prime Minister’ premieres in London

The China National Peking Opera Company returns to London on Oct. 13, bringing with them two more examples of classic storytelling from China: “The General and the Prime Minister,” and the much-loved “Legend of White Snake.” [Photo / China.org.cn]

The Qin seek a precious jade artefact called the “Heshi Disk” (why they want this disk is a mystery unless you have knowledge of China's history). Nonetheless, the Qin offer 15 cities in return for the jade disk. The Zhao expect the offer is a ploy to humiliate them or provoke them into war.

Lin -- who is still a lowly administrator -- offers his help in delivering the disk to the Qin. If he suspects trickery or an ambush, he will find a way to return the disk home or lose his life trying. General Lian Po follows behind with an army for protection.

The next half hour is a battle of wit and words between the Qin and Zhao ministers. Luckily for the Zhao Kingdom and for Lin himself, wit and words are something he excels at. The first half ends with Lin humiliating the King of Qin, and with General Lian Po vanquishing the enemy armies in another show of acrobatics and choreographed sword and spear fighting.

The second half of the show finally focuses on the relationship between the title characters. Lin has been made the chief administrator of the kingdom, but for some reason Lian Po, chief general, best fighter, ruler of the battle field, feels slighted by Lin's promotion.

For the rest of the night we watch Lian Po sulk while Lin feels sad that they are not friends, and all while the enemy are planning to annexe the Zhao Kingdom. The only thing stopping the mighty Qin is that they fear the power of a united General Lian Po and Prime Minister Lin.

If the two most powerful people in the kingdom are not reunited, then all will be lost. But, finally, the Zhao's envoy gets the titular characters to reconcile their (the general's) differences and they both hug and cry in a show of melodrama. The ending reveals “The General and the Prime Minister” to be less a story of victories on the battle field and more a victory over the emotions. The moral is clear: a country's united power at the top is more powerful than an army.

The China National Peking Opera Company performed “The General and the Prime Minister” again on Oct. 15. The company also performed the famous folk tale “Legend of White Snake” on Oct. 14 and 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Peacock Theatre.