RSC Friends

This 700 year old Chinese drama is set in a society where the poor are down trodden and exploited by a brutal military regime. It relocates to our world very well. Powerfully rendered on stage through the robotic movements of the soldiers and pounding drum and bass music. Neon flickers and scrawls like lightning bolts across the flats, a neon oxen and horse solemnly observe the unfolding tale, a nod at contemporary Japanese cartoons. A dragon swoops in circles on the stage.

This maybe an updating of an ancient classical tale where revenge for injustice takes the form of  a curse laid upon the community  by a baleful ghost. On the face of it this seems removed from our understanding of the world but there   is a powerful poetic truth being acted out here. The murder of one young woman cries for vengeance against the perpetrators whose lies and deceits slowly unravel. The indifference of society has far reaching environmental consequences. The very big and the very small are linked and the cosmos cries out against injustice.

A child ( played with an amazing  conviction and depth by a very young actor) and the ghost of the murdered woman become snow sisters who lay the curse on the evil doers. These are some of the most lyrical and moving parts of the play accompanied by the most beautiful and haunting music.

Snow in Midsummer is nearing the end of its run, I would recommend you get tickets while you can.

.Photograph by Ikin Yum.