There have been many productions of Shakespeare's comedy
Tempest, but UK actor Barrie Rutter promised that the
drama of his Northern Broadsides troupe would be the funniest, even
though they had no plans to change a word of the script.
"We are a big-voiced, big-hearted and big-spirited group. You
have to feel it yourself in the theater," said Rutter, who will
play the magician Prospero at the Capital Theater of Beijing from
June 21 to 24.
Another unique characteristic of this version is that it
features more music than any other Shakespearian productions, and
actors of the Northern Broadsides will interpret Shakespeare's
songs through blues and jazz.
"If Shakespeare were alive today, I believe he would choose to
use contemporary music," said actress Catherine Kinsella, who plays
Ariel in the play. "Even in the United Kingdom, audiences are often
intimidated by Shakespeare's style. It helps to use contemporary
references in the play."
Every one of the 14 performers, except for Rutter, would play a
musical instrument, including guitars, double basses, vibraphones,
drums and musical saws.
"I'm too busy in the play to play an instrument, but I'm the
magician who conjures up music," Rutter said.
The troupe performs on a very simplistic set, and most of the
sets for the production were made in China. All the musical
instruments are acoustic.
"This is not a big musical, which impresses the audience with a
luxurious stage," Rutter said. "Imagination is our
contribution."
Rutter founded Northern Broadsides in 1992. Most of its actors
and actresses are from northern England.
It's the second time that Rutter would perform at the Capital
Theater. The first time was in 1979, when he played the gravedigger
in Hamlet with the Old Vic Theater, the first Western
theater group to visit China after the "cultural revolution"
(1966-76).
"I remember this theater very well. The person who translated
for me later became the Vice Minister of Culture of China," Rutter
said.
That was Ying Ruocheng (1929-2003). When the Old Vic Theater
performed in Beijing in 1979, five Chinese actors and actresses
simultaneously translated for the troupe.
"When Ying translated for me, his timing was perfect, since
laughter came immediately from the audience," Rutter said.
The play will be performed in English, with Chinese
subtitles.
(China Daily June 22, 2007)