As the former Artistic Director of the English National Ballet, Derek Deane has been awarded an OBE for his cultural services. Since 2001, he’s been lending his choreography talents to the Shanghai Ballet on major productions like Swan Lake. Created for last year’s 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, Deane revives Hamlet for another run at the Shanghai Grand Theater on March 28-29.
How do you view Hamlet?
I personally feel that Hamlet is a very isolated person who doesn’t want to be with his family or involved in any intrigue at court. So I set the ballet on two different stages: Hamlet’s room below and the courtroom above it – keeping him isolated in his own space. You’ll notice that he never goes up there to the court and others always come to him.
I want the audience to get emotionally involved instead of sitting there and watching people get killed. So I tried to build each character differently. For instance, keeping Ophelia very innocent but the mother very confused and manic.
You credit Shanghai Ballet’s principal dancer Wu ‘Tiger’ Husheng as this show’s muse. Why’s that?
When Xin Lili, the Artistic Director of Shanghai Ballet, proposed to do a new ballet, I noticed that Tiger was very quiet, smart and alert. He can be funny but terribly withdrawn. Looking at him sitting and pondering alone, Hamlet just came into my mind.
Did you ever question whether he would be able to convey the character’s emotions in his performance?
He’s nearly 30 years old now. I think this would be the emotional climax of his dance life. He can be very distant personally, but he’s also a very bright and understanding dancer. Even though he doesn’t speak very good English, he knows what you want and where he is going.
What were the challenges in making this ballet?
Unlike a woman who turns into a swan, this story is about real people. It’s filled with such a variety of elements and emotions that I prefer to call it ‘dance theater’ in a ballet form.
I was very afraid of the translation since Shakespeare’s works are driven by his words. Then I figured that the story was so famous, that it can tell itself. So I just took those important moments and built on that.
You’re portrayed as an extremely demanding character in the documentary Agony and Ecstasy. What did you think about that?
Dancers live in two painful worlds: physical and mental. These kinds of suffering must take place sometimes – or almost always – to make a great artist. Dancing is not easy, and I’m not making it any better. You have to massage dancers, and then push – not bully – them. The results, as many turned out, are rewarding.
When I was a dancer, I took my physical advantage and turned a little lazy. I think my regret is what drives me to be 100 percent determined when I’m with my dancers, even if it kills them. I don’t want them to hold the same regret because I went easy on them. Although I have a reputation of being strong – some people would say I’m hard to work with or call me a bully – but I’ve never wrecked anybody or anyone’s career.
March 28-29, 7.15pm, RMB80-680. Shanghai Grand Theatre.
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