Rethinking Shakespeare in Shanghai

New York Times - WorldEN 6 min read 100% complete by Andrew Higgins and Gilles SabriéFebruary 5, 2026 at 06:00 AM

AI Summary

long article 6 min

A recent bilingual production of Shakespeare's "Othello" in Shanghai reimagines the play's racial dynamics. An American actor, Thomas Caron, plays Othello, a clueless American mercenary, while a Chinese actor, Cao Jifeng, plays Iago, a villain consumed by jealousy and xenophobia. The setting is shifted to an island at the mouth of the Yangtze River during the Taiping Rebellion, with Iago cursing Othello as a "laowai" (foreigner). The production, staged in a shopping mall and offered for free to avoid state vetting, demonstrates that creative expression can still exist in China despite increasing authoritarianism. This low-budget production highlights the presence of small-scale cultural activities, such as comedy clubs and music venues, that operate within certain limitations.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Yangtze River 30% Xi Jinping 40% United States 50% Taiping Rebellion 50% Cao Jifeng 60% Communist Party of China ×270% William Shakespeare ×370% Thomas Caron ×680% China ×390% Shanghai ×490%

Keywords

shakespeare 100% othello 90% cultural production 80% china 70% cultural restrictions 70% racial dynamics 60% artistic expression 50% communist party 50% shanghai 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Positive

Score: 0.30

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New York Times - World

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90%

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