Chinese premier Wen Jiabao visited the birthplace of Shakespeare in Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire for an informal visit one day before meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron. In comments made after the tour, the prime minister said, "I think it is fair to say that the Chinese people know the UK pretty well and I hope that more and more British people will know better about China. China has 5,000 years of history and it has over 2,000 years of recorded history. In this long history of this great nation, the literary figures of China have produced a myriad of literary works. And reading these works will help one better understand the course of development of this great nation. Politicians may get into a very heated debate at the negotiating table, but when you ask them, they may not necessarily truly understand each other's cultures and histories." more ›

We told you earlier this is the gift that keeps on giving. And sure enough, it is. Now, the ever-excellent Adam Minter of Shanghai Scrap has two more points that haven't been mentioned heretofore. One of those points, namely the second, is potentially damning, and should (we think) cause heads to roll: more ›

Shanghai Repertory Theatre continues its theatrical year with Shakespeare's comedy of mistaken identity Twelfth Night. An entirely entertaining show that is sure to coax out a few laughs with some stand out performances from a talented cast, the show has been shifted from its Shakespearean era to the eve of World War II. This is reflected in the songs and the costumes but otherwise remains largely unreferenced. The plot unfolds with continued hilarity and the cast are perfectly suited to their roles. Count on SRT regular Laurie Padgett Fralick to steal the show even as one of the support characters. They've added a bit of musicality to the classic Shakespearean drama via her vocals, creating some of the most memorable highlights of the night. Tickets do however cost 200 kuai, with pre-sale tickets costing 180. If you have the money to spend then this play is definitely worth going to see and will make for an entertaining evening. This said, considering that the Jue Festival is now in full swing, there is plenty to see at a much better price. The play lasts for 2 and a half hours and starts at 8 o'clock. But be sure to get there early, because lord knows nothing breaks down the "fourth wall" more than a stooping, beer-toting man running across the stage. more ›

Well, here's the gift that keeps on giving. On Saturday, the NYT quietly issued the following editor's note, clarifying what it meant in its Shakespeare censorship anecdote -- yeah, the one that sparked off an epidemic of China expats quoting the Bard on phone calls (h/t Adam Minter): more ›

We did it. Several Shanghaiist readers did it. And you -- you admit you did it too! But the award for Most Scientific Controlled Study in this category goes hands down to Adam Minter of Shanghai Scrap. And he has lived to tell the story. more ›

Is this true?

A Beijing entrepreneur, discussing restaurant choices with his fiancée over their cellphones last week, quoted Queen Gertrude’s response to Hamlet: “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.” The second time he said the word “protest,” her phone cut off. more ›

After wrapping its successful production of the Irish play, The Cure, Shanghai Repertory Theater is continuing its spring season with one of Shakespeare's best-known comedies - Twelfth Night. Twelfth Night (or What You Will) premieres this Thursday at 8pm and will be followed by daily shows until April 3rd (except on March 28). more ›

Deep down, somewhere in the heart of the orchid-like construct we all know as the Oriental Art Center, a creative meeting between masters recently took place. Scotland's leading choreographer and dance icon, Alan Greig, led a workshop with Jin Xing Dance Theatre, one of the most prominent dance companies in our city. Both performed at the recent Shanghai Dance Festival - the fourth one ever held. more ›

Screw Shakespeare and forget that Chinese opera business - right now, preparations are underway to bring a sing-song version of Karl Marx's Das Kapital to the Shanghai theater. more ›

One of William Shakespeare's most famous plays comes to Shanghai tonight as TNT's production of Hamlet begins its run over at the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre on Anfu Lu. Arguably among the most intriguing and complex of the tragedies penned by the Bard, Hamlet explores the themes of revenge, madness (both apparent and real), and, ultimately, death — all in the "rotten" state of Denmark. Featuring some of Shakespeare's most famous and revered moments (the 'to be or not to be' speech and the 'play within a play' scene, for example), the tale of Prince Hamlet's attempts to avenge his father's murder contains great drama throughout. more ›

It may be the pariah for self-respecting filmmakers (and film buffs) everywhere, but if it’s true that there’s no business like show business, then, the Oscars are anything but irrelevant. Case in point: The recent announcement that China will have not one, but two of its own submitted for consideration in the crapshoot otherwise known as the Best Foreign Film category. Of course, it never hurts when you’re able to find a loophole in the system. For all intents and purposes, the would-be blockbuster The Banquet should be represented by the mainland -- it features one of China’s most beloved (and commercially successful) auteurs in Feng Xiaogang, while starring Chinese megastars Zhang Ziyi and Zhou Xun. So how come it ended up as Hong Kong’s submission? Well, the catch is that The Banquet is a Hong Kong-China co-production, which means those of you who were pulling hard for Johnnie To backed the wrong horse. more ›

We reported earlier on an elementary school in the Songjiang District whose focus was having its 12 pupils memorize Chinese classics such as the Analects (Lun Yu) and the Book of Changes (Yi Jing). Well, that school has been closed down by the authorities, who claim that this school contravenes the “compulsory education (yiwu jiaoyu)” laws. The Shanghai Daily reports that the school will be punished for charging high tuition fees (30,000 yuan a year), not having a government license, and because children are required to get nine years of compulsory education. more ›

Compiled by Peijin Chen and Dan Washburn more ›

To truly appreciate the genius of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's The Office, all you have to do is watch an episode of the American version of the show, which Shanghaiist did for likely the final time last night. No comparison. While the original The Office only blessed us with about a dozen episodes, there are still things to be thankful for: those episodes are worth watching over and over and over again, Gervais and Merchant's Extras is now available on DVD (has it hit Shanghai yet?) -- and Gervais and Merchant have decided to give podcasting a try. Starting today, Guardian Unlimited will host The Ricky Gervais Show. A new episode will be available here every Monday for the next 12 weeks. Here's a description: more ›

Shakespeare used this biting line to refer to the brain of a dim-witted character in As You Like It. But it would also fit the bill if you were describing Shanghai's present weather. more ›