Chongqing - On Oct 17, Shakespeare's brooding prince took on a new voice in Chongqing as acclaimed Chinese theatre director Gu Lei premiered Hamlet Gossip at the Chongqing Beijing Opera Theatre, a highlight of the ongoing 14th China Art Festival.
Invited by the festival and Chongqing YINZI Theatre, Gu reimagined one of literature's most revered tragedies through the warmth, humor, and intimacy of Chongqing's culture and everyday life. The 40-minute play focuses on Hamlet's dilemma before revenge - when he first meets his father's ghost and wrestles with doubt, anger, and the meaning of vengeance.
"Chongqing culture has a very passionate and close feeling," Gu explained. "It brings this classic down to earth, letting today's young people see Hamlet's struggles in our own lives."
In Hamlet Gossip, the word "gossip" becomes a metaphor for collective reflection. Rather than leaving Hamlet to decide alone, the characters engage in open, spontaneous debates - in Chongqing dialect - about whether revenge is worth its cost. Gu said this "chui kua kua" (Chongqing slang for casual chats) style allows the story to unfold like a conversation among neighbors rather than a distant foreign tragedy.
Actor Liu Gefei described the production as an expression of Chongqing's free-spirited character: "We Chongqing people don't hold back much here. People just say what they think. That energy makes the discussion about Hamlet's choices feel very real."
Playwright and stage manager Ma Mingcan, who flew in from South Korea to join the project, said he was drawn by Gu's multi-voiced approach. "Our Hamlet is deconstructed from different angles. The queen even speaks to Hamlet in a Chongqing accent - like a mother and son from real city life."
Producer Hu Yin, Vice-Chairperson of the Chongqing Theatre Association and Producer of Chongqing YINZI Theatre, emphasized that Hamlet Gossip reflects Yinzi Theatre's commitment to nurturing local creativity. "Whether we adapt classics or create originals, we are telling Chongqing stories. This project grew from an idea into a full performance through co-creation.”
With its witty dialogue, dialect humor, and urban flair, Hamlet Gossip transforms the timeless tragedy into a living conversation between Shakespeare's world and today's Chongqing.