Tibetan Romeo and Juliet

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About This Clip

Gesang Luobu and Zhuoma Ciren, directed by YANG Jia, Shanghai Theatre Academy, 2020

Synopsis:

Reba Jin and Dunzhu Jie are the heads of two rival tribal families that live on grassland. A sheep of the Reba Jin family strays into the Dunzhu Jie family’s territory and is killed. This incident triggers a fight between the two families, which soon escalates into full-scale violence at the instigation of two demons. The Headman of the tribe intervenes before there is any bloodshed. Gesang Luobu and Zhuoma Ciren, the heirs of Reba Jin and of Dunzhu Jie respectively, meet at a river and fall in love. They lament their fate after discovering each other’s identity. At the Horse Racing Festival, Zhuoma’s cousin kills Gesang’s friend, who humiliates the servant of the Dunzhu Jie family. Gesang slays Zhuoma’s cousin in revenge and is exiled from the tribe. Zhuoma secretly marries Gesang before he leaves. Jinmei, the Headman’s nephew, approaches Dunzhu Jie about marrying Zhuoma. Dunzhu Jie, tempted by the bride price that Jinmei offers, agrees to the marriage. Zhuoma fakes her death using the potion given by Monk Duoji. Monk Pingcuo is killed by two demons on his way to deliver Monk Duoji’s letter to Gesang. Unaware of the plan, Gesang returns to the tribe and kills himself beside Zhuoma’s body at the burial site. Gesang wakes up to Gesang’s dead body and takes her own life. The two families make peace. A god, moved by the faithful love of Gesang and Zhuoma, shoots down the two demons and blesses the two lovers, who will reincarnate and love each other well in their next life. A boy and a girl meet at a river and sing the deer song that Gesang and Zhuoma sing in their previous life.

Cast:

Danzeng Suoba as Gesang Luobu (Romeo)

Weng-Yang Fangyu as Reborn Gesang Luobu

Yixi Taqing as Reba Jin (Montague)

Suolang Bazhu as Gongbu (Benvolio)

Ciren Luobu as Zhandui (Mercutio)

Danzeng Gongji as Zhuoma Ciren (Juliet)

Fang Yiting as Reborn Zhuoma Ciren

Dunzhu Ciren as Dunzhu Jie (Capulet)

Nima Luozhu as Luozhui (Tybalt)

Kangzhuo as Nurse

Dawa Ciren as Headman (Escalus)

Luosang Yundan as Jinmei (Paris)

Danzeng Nanjia as Monk Duoji (Friar Lawrence)

Danzeng Zhuoga as Monk Pingcuo (Friar John) & Sheep

Luosang as Male Demon

Chilie Baimu as Female Demon

Gesang Luobu and Zhuoma Ciren was one of the three productions presented by the twenty-two members of the Tibetan Acting Class of 2021 in their final year of training at the Shanghai Theater Academy. Unlike the other two productions, The Tempest (dir. Wang Yang, 2020) and Hamlet (dir. Pu Cunxin, Yang Jia, Wang Yang, 2021), Gesang Luobu and Zhuoma Ciren set Shakespeare’s play in a Tibetan cultural context. This production was a joint effort in every way. Lu Yuefeng’s adapted version of Gu Zhengkun’s abridged Chinese translation of Romeo and Juliet formed the basis of the script. Yang Jia and the actors then worked together on creating a coherent and authentic Tibetan story suitable for performance. While the story had already gone through several major revisions before it was played out by the actors, the real change or, more precisely, adaptation happened during the rehearsal process. Yang Jia, the director, encouraged the actors to explore their own culture and bridge everyday experience and theatrical performance through improvisation.

Curated by by Yu Yan of Dartmouth College based on original research.