When Camel Xiangzi uses mechanical camels... Anfu Road | Works | Camel Xiangzi
From July 8th to 23rd, the stage play "Camel Xiangzi" produced by the Shanghai Theatre Art Center will premiere at the Art Theatre of the Theatre Building at 288 Anfu Road. The drama is adapted from the original work of the same name by Lao She and is currently in hot production. In addition to young creators, the mechanical camel that debuted for the first time has also received much attention.
As a representative work of Lao She, "Camel Xiangzi" is set in Old Beijing in the 1920s. The novel was published in 1937 and has been adapted into various forms of art. Shu Yi, the son of Lao She, said, "No matter whose works, they cannot escape the historical laws of the waves washing away sand. Whether the works themselves contain extremely high literary aesthetic value is the key, and the works that can truly leave a lasting impression on future generations are good works."
The stage play "Camel Xiangzi" tells the life experience of rickshaw puller Xiangzi, who rises and falls three times. Continuing director He Nian's philosophy of "interpreting classics in a way that young people love" in "Wilderness", the story of classic masterpieces is placed in a new historical context, striving to retell them in a way that contemporary young people love. "Camel Xiangzi" gathers a group of young creators, including actors Wang Yicheng, Fan Yilin, Xu Zihao, Han Shuang, Wang Weishuai, Zhang Gui, etc., with an average age of 31 years old. He Nian encourages actors to fully express their thoughts and understanding of "Camel Boy". With a full understanding of the spiritual foundation of the original work, the actors engaged in a collision of thoughts, sparking sparks everywhere.
The stage play "Camel Xiangzi" incorporates a stylized prop - a mechanical camel. It is said to be a "mechanical camel", but in fact, it is an industrial grade robotic dog B1 with characteristics such as all-weather operation, strong load and expansion space, multi-dimensional perception, full scene coverage, strong computing power and precise insight, known as the "land hegemon". He can be said to be the most eye-catching actor in the entire drama, playing the role of "camel" in "Camel Xiangzi". On stage, the mechanical camel is not only a part of the plot, participating in the narrative, but also the embodiment of Xiangzi, dancing with the actors. The heaviness and dullness of the camel have become symbols of Xiangzi's tragic life.
Why choose mechanical camels to move onto the stage? He Nian said, "We want to embody the 'dehumanization' of machinery. At the beginning of the novel, Xiangzi was full of desire and rich emotions towards Beiping, but in the various events that came face to face, he constantly abandoned his human side, constantly 'dehumanized', and became a cold machine. In the process of Xiangzi becoming a 'mechanical camel', we want to discuss with the audience where humans will go when facing AI and other high-tech products in the next 30 to 50 years. I hope this version of 'Camel Xiangzi' is the starting point for establishing discussions."
The creative opportunity for the stage play "Camel Xiangzi" originated from He Nian's reflection on the fate of the protagonist Xiangzi: "If Xiangzi were given a chance to start over, would he still repeat his own fate? After" The Wild ", I want to create a classic that conforms to the spirit of the times, and also want young people to be willing to enter the theater to see classic texts. There are many good stories in our country, and I hope more young audiences can see and love these stories."
Zhang Huiqing, General Manager of Shanghai Drama Art Center, emphasized at the founding meeting of "Camel Xiangzi" that Shanghai Drama Art Center should have an attitude of daring to move forward, leading the aesthetic and creative trends of the times, and creating more creative works that can bring new things to the audience, including new creative ideas and new attempts that can lead the development of the times and art.
"Camel Xiangzi" was designed by Sang Qi, a national first-class dance designer at the Shanghai Theatre Art Center. In recent years, works such as "Abyss", "Heart Maze", "Awakening Age", "I Don't Want to Be Friends with You", and "Wilderness" that He Nian has collaborated with Sangqi have all received good box office and reputation, and are regarded as quality assurance by many viewers. Young screenwriter Chen Lu collaborated with He Nian to adapt the stage play "Maze of Hearts" from the movie of the same name before "Camel Boy", which sparked a box office boom at the end of 2021 with a dark horse stance.
