The Spilled Cup (Moscow Satire Theatre, 1952): Narrative Adaptation and Stylization of Chinese Classics as an Experience of Intercultural Dialogue
Abstract
Based on a wide range of unpublished archival documents the article presents
a comprehensive philological and historical-theatrical analysis of the first Soviet production
of the classical Chinese drama The Western Chamber (Wang Shifu, 13th century) — the
play The Spilled Cup (Moscow Satire Theatre, 1952, dir. N. V. Petrov and V. N. Pluchek,
adaptation by A. P. Globа). The study focuses on the transformation of the original text
when transferred into a different cultural and ideological environment, and the adaptation
of a traditional Chinese plot to the aesthetic and political demands of the early 1950s Soviet
stage. A comparison is made between L. D. Pozdneeva’s interlinear translation (1940s),
which stays close to the original, and Globа’s drama text (published 1960). In the translation
the implicit Eastern poetics is noticeably replaced by direct psychological monologue typical
for Russian realism; Buddhist imagery and traditional Chinese symbols are substituted for
European romantic topos (“goddess”, “service to the lady”, “fate”); the title and the finale
are changed (the lovers’ escape instead of a socially sanctioned marriage), radically altering
the original’s ethical message. The production process’ reconstruction reveals fundamental
disagreements between consultants and the production team over authenticity and stage
interpretation. The conclusion is that the play constitutes a hybrid stylization — a unique case
of intercultural communication. The Eastern plot framework and exotic coloring are filled with
Russian psychological, rhetorical, and ideological forms. This production is a case example
of Soviet “Eastern” policy in the theatrical sphere during the Cold War and valuable material
for studying intercultural translation in 20th-century drama.
Keywords
Soviet theatre, Chinees Drama, The Spilled Cup, The Romance of the West Chamber,
Wang Shifu, A. P.Globa, N.V. Petrov, V.N. Pluchek, L.D. Pozdneeva, narrative adaptation.
For citation
Bo Chen, Penskaya Elena N. The Spilled Cup (Moscow Satire Theatre, 1952): Narrative Adaptation and Stylization of Chinese Classics as an Experience of Intercultural Dialogue. Theatre. Fine Arts. Cinema. Music. 2026, no. 1, pp. 150–162.
DOI: 10.35852/2588-0144-2026-1-150-162
EDN VVHREK
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Received: 22.01.2025
Revised: 12.02.2026
Accepted: 14.02.2026