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Analyzing the Adaptation of Chinese Literature in Korean Theater Through Naktasangja

  • The Journal of Korean drama and theatre
  • 2020, (68), pp.59-88
  • DOI : 10.17938/tjkdat.2020..68.59
  • Publisher : The Learned Society Of Korean Drama And Theatre
  • Research Area : Arts and Kinesiology > Other Arts and Kinesiology
  • Received : May 10, 2020
  • Accepted : June 19, 2020
  • Published : June 29, 2020

Seo, Jaekil 1

1국민대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

Korean theater companies have been performing Chinese plays, such as The Orphan of Zhao, Farewell My Concubine, and Camel Xiangzi (Rickshaw Boy), while the translation and publication of Chinese plays have also been actively done. The Playfactory Mabangjin production of the contemporary play Naktasangja, which was invited to the Seoul Theater Festival 2019 and 2019 Seoul Performing Arts Festival, is actually an adaptation of the Peking opera version of Camel Xiangzi. This paper examines the differences in this version of Naktasangja, adapted and directed by Ko Sun-woong of Playfactory Mabangjin, from both the novel and Peking opera versions. Lao She’s novel Camel Xiangzi has been adapted into various formats, including theater, film, and opera, but the Korean production used the Peking opera version, which was written by Zhong Wen-nong and originally performed by the Jiangsu Peking Opera Company. The Peking opera adaptation of Camel Xiangzi has been called a masterpiece, as it not only is very faithful to the original novel but also takes advantage of the aesthetics of Peking opera. The most noticeable aspect of the adaptation is the early exploration of the triangular relationship between the three protagonists; in the novel, the heroine Xiaofuzi did not appear until the later stages of the story. The second feature is the very contemporary set design created by the stage art, lighting, and smoke. Third, the play incorporated the music and gestures unique to Peking opera. Fourth, the adaptation more actively features the narrator who is singing traditional Chinese songs which present themes through commentary on the episodes, figurative and symbolic expressions on the events, and internal depictions of some characters. The Korean production took the Peking opera version and added its own interpretation of the narrative and direction. The most noticeable change in the narrative is the addition of scenes that demonstrate why the protagonist has been called Camel Xiangzi and present the dialogues where Yikang forces his daughter to prostitute herself. Additionally, several characters are presented in greater depth as we can see in Yikang who sells his daughter twice. The show also incorporated several devices in lieu of song. All the songs from the Peking opera production were changed to dialogue; the director’s very unique speech called “pushing the dialogue” was added, and the division of the lines for the counterpoint is remarkable. These changes make Playfactory Mabangjin’s Naktasangja a uniquely Korean experience.

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This paper was written with support from the National Research Foundation of Korea.
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