Expats in China revive 'The Shawshank Redemption' in Chinese on stage

Regarded as a movie classic in China, "The Shawshank Redemption" has been revived as a stage production in the country.  

Featuring the performers from eight countries, the repertoire has been completely delivered in Chinese. 

Headlining this special line-up is Canadian artist Mark Rowswell, aka Da Shan, who's already made a name for himself among Chinese audiences with his exceptional xiangsheng performances (traditional cross talk shows).  

He said he's grateful for the opportunity offered to him by Zhang Guoli, an accomplished actor who directed the play. Rowswell said he was also impressed by Zhang's unique vision.

Rowswell told CGTN: "Zhang Guoli is really the heart and soul of the project. He's a personal friend of Tim Robbins, who played Andy in the original movie. They worked together a number of times, and I think he saw the relevance of the story for audiences in China. It was also his idea to use an entirely international cast performing in Chinese."

By translating the stage play's Western narrative into a unique cultural context in China, Zhang hopes to deliver a linguistic evolution of the story with nuances from both cultures.

The Chinese version is based on the stage adaptation of the original Stephen King story by Owen O'Neill and David Johns in 2009.

It centers around Andy Dufresne, a banker who spends 19 years wrongly imprisoned in Shawshank State Prison for the murder of his wife and her lover.

To truly immerse themselves in the story, the cast spent two months in Shenzhen, crafting their performances with director Zhang Guoli.  

Zhang imposed a strict rule that meant the cast was only allowed to speak Chinese during rehearsals. 

Matthew William Knowles, who played Hadley in the play, said that it's important for people to be able to connect with a story in their own language. "I hope it will give them a different experience," he added.

Many of the cast have extensive experience in China, having lived here for a long time or worked closely in Chinese artistic circles.

They are more than thrilled to be part of the journey as this project is breaking boundaries in so many ways.

Ben Hubley, who played Tommy, told CGTN: "It deeply resonated with Chinese audiences in a way I didn't expect."

"If you learn the culture, then the language starts to make sense. It starts to fall in place more," shared Knowles. His co-star Andy Friend who plays the antagonist Stammas echoed that, adding: "We need to hear stories. That's how we pass on history, through stories, and that's history, and stories is what makes a culture. So we're just part of that craft of telling stories. And I think the richer or the more diverse your language is, and the more (you go) through literature or history and multiple cultures, the more you're able to become like a storyteller."

After a successful premiere in Shenzhen and a tour in Shanghai, the crew wrapped up their Beijing leg before continuing with a nationwide tour, bringing this innovative stage play to more audiences.

The fusion of international talent, a Chinese vision, and the cherished story of "The Shawshank Redemption" is poised to win more hearts and minds.