The Handan Dream (Image: Ji Qiao)
When: 25th – 27th January 2018
Where: Hackney Empire, 291 Mare Street, London E8 1EJ
£: Tickets priced from £10 to £35
What is it?
Guangzhou Dramatic Arts Centre presents a contemporary re-telling of one of China’s most beloved dramas, The Handan Dream, at Hackney Empire this month.
The production will combine bold design with drama, stagecraft and symbolism, to tell the story of a man who dreams an entire life, only to wake up at the inn where he started.
Performed in Mandarin with English subtitles and with strikingly colourful costumes by one of the lead costume designers on the Beijing Olympic Opening Ceremony, the show will be performed at Hackney Empire in the lead up to Chinese New Year on Friday 16th February.
With music inspired by traditional Chinese Kun opera to accompany the scripted drama, The Handan Dream will immerse audiences in an intriguing world between illusion and reality.
Influenced by Chinese/Zen philosophy, dream and illusion is a common topic in Chinese literature and art. What lies behind is the contemplation on consciousness and whether reality is ultimately empty.
A poetic re-telling of a beloved tale (Image: Ji Qiao)
The show is directed by Wang Xiaodi, an award-winning Chinese female director whose mother was also a famous director.
Different from the traditional interpretation of the story which focuses on bureaucracy and corruption, Wang Xiaodi’s version emphasises the Chinese views of fate and Tang Xianzu’s philosophies on life, to create a Handan Dream that is open-minded and poetic.
More info: hackneyempire.co.uk and www.facebook.com/thehandandream