Watching “The Shawshank Redemption” on stage in China
Why wasn’t this banned?
IS HOPE A dangerous thing in China? Theatregoers in Beijing have been mulling that question, with two new stage adaptations exploring themes of injustice, freedom and renewal. “The Shawshank Redemption” (pictured) is set in mid-20th-century America, while “Les Misérables” takes place in 19th-century France. Both feature characters who are unjustly imprisoned and suffer under cruel jailers and corrupt systems.
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This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Salvation lies within”
From the February 3rd 2024 edition
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Wegovy hits the People’s Republic, at last
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China’s government is badgering women to have babies
It is testing an expanded pro-natalist playbook
China suffers eruptions from its simmering discontents
Amid random violence and increasing protests, fears mount for social stability
Trump, trade and feeding China’s pigs
As a trade war looms, China looks to cut its reliance on America
Helping America’s hawks get inside the head of Xi Jinping
China’s leader is a risk-taker. How far will he go in confronting America?
Snuffing out the flame of freedom in Hong Kong
Dozens of pro-democracy activists are thrown into jail for up to a decade