Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe: The Outburst of a Shrew

EVENT DESCRIPTION

When your lioness roars in wrathful ire, do you stand and spar, or… just sleep it off? A witty and relatable tale of marital strife, The Outburst of a Shrew is a rare comedic gem in the Kunqu opera repertoire. Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe’s classic adaptation condenses the traditional thirty-scene epic down to just four brisk acts. Starring award-winning performers Li An and Yu Bin as the beleaguered husband and his fiery spouse, this laugh-out-loud romp lays bare the awkward truths of marriage with humour, charm and just the right amount of chaos.

At invitation of his good friend, the notorious playboy poet Su Shi, scholar Chen Jichang (Chen Zao) joins an outing with young courtesans – only to land in the doghouse when his furious wife discovers the escapade. Too afraid to protest, Chen seeks justice for himself in his sleep, only to discover that everyone he meets in dreamland, from dignified judges to powerful deities, trembles before their wives, too. Finally, he awakens, wiser in the ways of matrimony, and reconciles with his formidable better half.

Li An as Chen Zao
Yu Bin as Ms Liu
Zhang Weiwei as Su Shi

Performed in regional languages with Chinese and English surtitles
Approximately 2 hours 10 minutes, without intermission