Dramatic Breakthroughs

by Zuo Shula

Despite their similar absurdity， Green Snake and Scoundrel vs Angel express their themes in drastically different ways. Green Snake is the product of Tian Qinxin， a celebrated director with the National Theater of China， and Scoundrel vs Angel was developed by Yu Baimei， a talented screenwriter and director.

Tian Qinxin veered away from her previous work with Green Snake， which interprets love and faith through a Zen angle. Inspired by a well-known centuries-old romantic Chinese legend， the plot revolves around love， struggle， and solidarity between snake spirits and human beings. Throughout its running time of more than three hours， Green Snake follows snake spirits attempts and struggle to achieve human form after hundreds of years of cultivation as well as a monks attempts to attain Buddhahood. To transform into human beings， the spirits must endure overwhelming trials and tribulations as well as devastating humiliation from the secular world. The audience is left pondering the road ahead after enduring love and lust.

Tians theatrical depiction of spirits and Buddhist nature shares similarities with the theory of “animalistic reactions”and “supernatural abilities” put forth by Simone Weil （1909-1943）. According to the French philosopher and activist， all human beings are animals at heart. In certain circumstances， man makes instinctual animal reactions， and such mechanical responses dominate our minds at any given moment. Only through grasping the supernatural powers of the soul can humanity shake off the chains of animals to some extent. This is the heart of Green Snakes profundity.

Scoundrel vs Angel， however， gets spectators minds moving a completely different way. Hearkening to a series of comedies previously produced by Yu Baimei， this play seeks active two-way communication with the audience. Along with dance and music that enhance stage spectacle， the plays jokes and comedic turns criticizing contemporary social evils have made it a sensation， so much so that some critics raved about its overwhelming “chivalrous flavor.”

Despite the two plays sharp contrast， both directors employed innovative approaches commonly reserved for experimental dramas. While Scoundrel vs Angel is undoubtedly comedic， Green Snake leans towards tragedy， with humorous elements meticulously woven into its plot. Its novel theatrical form， life-like characters， witty dialogue， and sharp interactions push spectators to stay actively involved in the show and contemplate the meaning of life.

I used to consider drama high-brow art， far from the reach of ordinary people， like symphonies or opera. But a handful of visits to theaters in recent years proved this assumption wrong. Shakespeare， the English languages undisputed master， wrote for the masses as well as the queen. Numerous “mainstream” writers and artists， including Leo Tolstoy， have called Shakespeare rude and immoral. His work can be hardly defined by any established theory， and even today， opinions still vary when classifying his comedies and tragedies. However， Shakespearean plays are universally acclaimed as timeless folk culture， depicting authentic human-to-human exchange that inspires viewers to interpret the art through their own perceptions of life. Anything that strikes a sympathetic chord can be easily remembered and circulated， and when spread from mouth to mouth within a people， it enhances the consciousness of the group and eventually becomes immortal.

Among contemporary dramatists， Dario Fo， an Italian avant-garde playwright and winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1997， is a down-to-earth artist who relishes working for the common people. Since the beginning of his theatrical career， he has blazed a path far from orthodoxy and focused on farce and satire removed from traditional improvisational comedies. Aiming to do something for oppressed and impoverished people， he is inevitably drawn to discussions of social issues and actions. He employs diverse elements such as the cheerful atmosphere of a circus and a carnival to mask discussion of social affairs. Just like Yu Baimei， Fos style fiercely clashes with mainstream. Showing no interest in working to amuse the bourgeois class that can afford tickets， Fo passed on the chance to fill luxury theaters by opting to serve the populace at unofficial venues such as granaries while adopting street art techniques from the medieval era to boost interaction with the audience.

Both Tian Qinxin and Yu Baimei are unquestionably talented， but they still have a long way to go to reach the ranks of master dramatists like Shakespeare and Dario Fo. Their work will reach nearer the greats only when they aim even closer to the hearts of ordinary people in terms of artistic quality.