Multimedia take on Eileen Chang’s love story

The golden period of 1920s and 30s, elegant Suzhou pingtan music (storytelling and ballad singing), Shanghainese dialect and old English songs — all of these classic old Shanghai elements will be fused into Eileen Chang's work "Eighteen Springs" in a multimedia work.

Hong Kong scriptwriter and director Mathias Woo will cooperate with the Shanghai Drama Arts Center to present this classic love story at Shanghai Culture Square next month.

The Shanghai-born Chang (1920-95) is regarded as one of the most influential modern writers in China. Her works have been repeatedly adapted to films, TV series and stage dramas, such as "Eighteen Springs," "Love in a Fallen City," "Lust, Caution" and "The Red Rose and the White Rose."

Performers and audiences sometimes have different expectations of how this well-known charming old Shanghai lady, her works and her own legendary stories, should be represented on stage, says Woo.

Set in 1920s-30s Shanghai, "Eighteen Springs" tells tragic love stories among seven young people. Talented Shanghai actors — Zhang Qi, Shen Lei, Xu Manman, Xie Chengying, He Yanqi, Jia Jinghui and He Bin — will perform. Zhang, who will play Zhu Hongcai, and Xie, playing the role of Gu Manlu, will speak Shanghainese throughout the show.

Chang was born in Shanghai and then studied and lived in Hong Kong. "This background makes our collaboration even more amazing," says the Hong Kong director.

Woo directed his first Chang work about 10 years ago, also "Eighteen Springs," when he collaborated with famed theater director Edward Lim, Taiwanese actress and singer Rene Liu, and mainland actor Liao Fan, winner of the Silver Bear for Best Actor at this year's Berlin International Film Festival.

In this new version of "Eighteen Springs," Woo has invited Suzhou pingtan performer Jin Liqun and Yu Qun to compose music for the show and perform in the drama. Jin, 70, is now the oldest pingtan player in China who still performs on stage.

Pingtan, storytelling to the music, is a very traditional Chinese music form from Suzhou, in neighboring Jiangsu Province, telling the stories by playing sanxian (three-stringed fretless plucked instrument) and pipa (Chinese lute).

"Chang's favorite music is pingtan and she often described this music style in her works," says Woo.

Woo is also trying to add fresh elements to the show, but the aim is to present a real Chang and her "Eighteen Springs."

Contrasting with pingtan will be the role of a singer played by famed Taiwan drama actress and singer Jin Yanling. She will sing many classic old English songs as well as two Chinese songs composed specifically for the show.

"What was popular in 1930s Shanghai were English songs and jazz music. That's the reason I add these elements," says the director.