Power play

According to the play's scriptwriter, Cao Lusheng, it preserves a lot of the book's original features, such as following the narrative of the "idiot" protagonist, but also making adaptations with regard to female characters.

As the story is based on Tibetan ethnic culture, the crew made an effort to research how to truthfully represent Tibetan culture while telling the story.

The movements for the performers were conceived by dance director and choreographer Yu Chenxi, who says he integrated ethnic characteristics into the body movements seen onstage, including gestures from the jingangwu, a dance performed during festive occasions.

"I felt that it was serendipitous for me to join the play. I started learning folk dance at the age of 12 from a teacher of Tibetan ethnicity, so I have learned a lot of regional dance styles," Yu says.

"When I joined the crew, I went to Chengdu and visited the streets where Tibetan people gather and dance together every night. I stayed there for seven days and observed them. From their postures and our conversations, I extracted the features of their mannerisms and integrated them into my choreography."

The play's musical director, Shi Yicen, also visited Tibetan-inhabited areas to conduct field study. The production includes indigenous Tibetan music and folk instruments, and a singer of the Tibetan ethnic group was invited to record a few sequences to provide transitions for the play.

"Many details in my music are inspired by the monologue of 'the idiot' from the original novel, which is expressed in an acutely sensitive way. For instance, a series of variations are designed for him to set off his complicated emotions when interacting with the female characters," Shi says.

According to Alai, the story should not be seen as being about a single ethnic group, but as one that deals with the issues relevant to all, such as power, money and happiness.

"This play shows that the crew has a good grasp of the spiritual core of the original book. It highlights the individual and the group in that particular era, presenting the ups and downs of their fate and emotions in the progress of history. I think it's a soul-stirring production," Alai says.