Abstract
This concluding chapter features a 4-act play, performed by a cast of six, inspired by not only Hamlet, but also Macbeth, King Lear, and Othello, bringing us full circle. Other chapters in this book feature large-scale adaptations of Hamlet, Macbeth, or King Lear, but this work, which its co-authors call an “allegory,” brings together the protagonists of Shakespeare’s four tragedies to explore “the essence of being” human. Hamlet, Macbeth, Lear, and Othello pour their heart out to a character called Modern Man and discuss with each other the dilemmas in their lives. The small-scale production of To Be, or Not to Be is a fitting conclusion because it showcases a new, experimental approach of bricolage to Shakespeare, contrasting the touring and large-budget productions featured so far in this book.
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Notes
- 1.
Daniel S.P. Yang, “King Lear in Beijing and Hong Kong,” Asian Theatre Journal, 28.1 (2011), 184-198.
- 2.
Hamlet, 1.2.76−78.
- 3.
Hamlet, 1.2.80; 1.2.82−86.
- 4.
Hamlet, 1.2.180−181.
- 5.
Hamlet, 1.2.146.
- 6.
Hamlet, 1.2.137−138.
- 7.
Hamlet, 1.2.147−149.
- 8.
Hamlet, 1.2.156−157.
- 9.
Hamlet, 1.2.129−137.
- 10.
Hamlet, 1.4.40; 1.4.43−45; 1.4.48; 1.4.50−51.
- 11.
Hamlet, 1.4.47 and 1.4.48.
- 12.
Hamlet, 1.5.92−93.
- 13.
Hamlet, 1.5.93; 1.5.95−99; 1.5.102−103.
- 14.
2.2.297−308.
- 15.
2.2.247.
- 16.
Hamlet, 3.1.102; 3.1.104.
- 17.
Hamlet, 3.1.110−111; 3.1.113−114.
- 18.
Hamlet, 3.1.116−118.
- 19.
Hamlet, 3.1.120−129.
- 20.
Hamlet, 3.1.142−145; 3.1.149.
- 21.
Macbeth, 1.7.2−5.
- 22.
Macbeth, 1.7.7−10.
- 23.
Macbeth, 1.7.16−19.
- 24.
Macbeth, 2.1.62−65.
- 25.
Macbeth, 2.2.24.
- 26.
Macbeth, 2.2.27−29.
- 27.
Macbeth, 2.3.91−96.
- 28.
Macbeth, 3. 1.65; 3.1.67; 3.1.69.
- 29.
Macbeth, 3.2.46−3.1.50.
- 30.
Macbeth, 3.2.55.
- 31.
Lê Duẩn was an acting party chief in North Vietnam responsible for Vietnam’s reaction to China’s invasion in 1979.
- 32.
Othello, 3.3.330−332. These lines are originally delivered by Iago.
- 33.
Othello, 4.1.187−190.
- 34.
King Lear, 4.6.118−127; 4.6.130−131.
- 35.
Othello, 3.3.263−266.
- 36.
Othello, 3.3.269−273.
- 37.
King Lear, 2.4.271.
- 38.
King Lear, 2.4.276−277.
- 39.
King Lear, 2.4.284–286.
- 40.
Othello, 3.3.359−364.
- 41.
King Lear, 3.2.1−2.
- 42.
King Lear, 3.2.4−9.
- 43.
King Lear, 3.2.14−16; 3.2.18−24.
- 44.
King Lear, 3.4.6−9.
- 45.
King Lear, 3.4.12−14.
- 46.
King Lear, 3.4.33−36.
- 47.
King Lear, 4.6.164−165.
- 48.
Macbeth, 3.4.121.
- 49.
Othello, 3.3.445−449.
- 50.
Zhu was a Chinese high jump athlete who won several gold medals in international games.
- 51.
Hamlet, 4.4.32−46; 4.4.59−66.
- 52.
This is a song by Chinese singer Zhang Xing.
- 53.
Macbeth, 5.5.19−28.
- 54.
Othello, 5.2.244−246.
- 55.
Othello, 5.2.279−281.
- 56.
King Lear, 5.3.258−264.
- 57.
Hamlet, 3.1.55−3.1.63.
- 58.
Hamlet, 3.1.63−3.1.68.
- 59.
Hamlet, 3.1.69−3.1.75.
- 60.
Hamlet, 3.1.75−3.1.81.
- 61.
Hamlet, 3.1.81−3.1.87.
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Liang, L.Wc. (2022). Coda: Theatrical Bricolage of Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth, and Othello in Beijing (1986). In: Joubin, A.A. (eds) Sinophone Adaptations of Shakespeare. Global Shakespeares. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92993-0_8
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