A contemporary re-imagining of one of the most famous classical Chinese dramas, Snow in Midsummer is the first production in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Chinese translations project.
Snow in Midsummer is written by Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig and is based on Guan Hanqing’s work. It tells the story of a young girl, Dou Yi, who is framed for a crime she did not commit. She calls on heaven and earth to prove her innocence and is answered by a snowstorm in midsummer and a devastating drought.
Arriving three years later in a town now struggling for survival, a family is drawn into a search for truth as the ghost of Dou Yi demands revenge on the corrupt system which tried to silence her.
BAFTA Breakthrough Brit Katie Leung who played Cho Chang in the Harry Potter film series is Dou Yi. She made her stage debut at the Young Vic Theatre playing Jung Chang in the autobiographical play Wild Swans in 2012.
The cast also includes Jacqueline Chan (Mother Cai), Andrew Koji (worker Huang / policeman), Wendy Kweh (Tianyun), Sarah Lam (Madam Wong), Andrew Leung (Rocket Wu), Jonathan Raggett (People’s Liberation Army / policeman), Richard Rees (People’s Liberation Army / Judge Wu), Colin Ryan (handsome Zhang), Lucy Sheen (worker Chen / policeman), Kevin Shen (People’s Liberation Army / policeman) and Daniel York (Doctor Lu / Master Zhang). Emily Dao, Zoe Lim and Sophie Wong will share the role of the child Fei-Fei.
Justin Audibert directs. Design is by Lily Arnold with lighting by Anna Watson and sound by Claire Windsor. Music is by Ruth Chan and movement by Lucy Cullingford. Fights are by Rachel Bown-Williams and Ruth Cooper-Brown.
Snow in Midsummer runs in the Swan Theatre, Stratford from Thursday 23 February until Saturday 25 March. Press night is Thursday 2 March.