Dedicated to bringing Chinese theatre to life in Kingston, Yu Theatre Society’s Snow in Midsummer: The Silence demonstrates the ability of corruption and injustice to silence the vulnerable.
The Yu Theatre Society, a Queen’s University’s student-run theatre group, proudly presents their moving silent play, Snow in Midsummer: The Silence—an adaptation of the classical Chinese play written by Guan Hanqing. The show is running at the Baby Grand Theatre, Kingston Grand Theatre, from Jan. 13 to 18. Directed by Nathan Zhe, BFA ’26, and co-produced by Viven Ma, ArtSci ’25, Snow in Midsummer is an artistic and innovative story, told in complete silence, detailing the tragic story of Dou E—a young woman wrongly accused of murder after rejecting the advances of a corrupt man.
Snow in Midsummer follows Dou E leading up to her execution, where she makes three claims: that her blood will fly into the air and not touch the ground, that a heavy snowstorm will occur during the summer, and that a drought will plague the region for three years–all signs of her innocence. The tale critiques societal corruption, highlights the plight of women, and explores themes of loyalty, virtue, and justice.
Zhe and Ma were excited to adapt this traditional play and bring elements of Chinese culture to Kingston. Ma has been with the Yu Society since her second year, working as a lighting operator, stage manager, makeup designer, and production manager. Zhe ed as an actor in 2022, but quickly got the urge to create his own production. As the two got more involved in the society, they began to work on adapting Snow in Midsummer.
The famous Chinese play, Snow in Midsummer, has been adapted many times, typically into an opera, but Zhe went against convention by turning the popular play into a silent show. The story was told completely using mime, shadow art, lighting, and costumes.
“The most challenging part [of orchestrating the play] was definitely trying to convey information and detail using movements,” Zhe said in an interview with The Journal.
There were also challenges associated with telling most of the story through shadow. Zhe had to borrow lights from the Queen’s Film Department almost daily, and sometimes the crew couldn’t see the shadows during rehearsal, making the process difficult, but ultimately rewarding.
The costumes were built upon colour symbolism and masks. Zhe explained the masks were an indication of the character’s inner self, explaining their variation. The colours represented each character’s identity. For example, Dou E’s white dress helped to represent her purity and innocence.
Theatre is typically associated with exaggerated performances, characterized with booming noises and performances of grandeur. Yet, Snow in Midsummer stripped all these typical conventions away, leaving a powerful and intense story where no detail could go unnoticed. Every shaky hand, cough, and step taken on stage beckoned your full attention.
When Dou E was executed, snow fell as an overhead light shone over her body. It was one of the physically brightest moments of the play and quite artistically clever—a moment of beauty after a horrific act. Dou Tianzhang, Dou E’s father, collapsed next to her body and let out a guttural scream—the only explicitly vocal sound of the play, which sent chills through the crow, leaving the theatre emotionally charged.
Zhe explained the demanding nature of the story, and wanted to make the show unique by showcasing the crew’s skill with tech. By using an overhead projector, and the snow machine for the final scene of the play, Zhe hoped it would solidify the play as something nobody had seen before.
He emphasized the spirit of the Yu Theatre Society is to challenge the unknown.
Snow in Midsummer brings something completely new to the theatre scene in Kingston and illustrates how powerful a story can be—even without sound.
Using lights, movement, expression, and silent emotion, Snow in Midsummer delivers an effective and touching story that’s sure to stay in audience ’ minds long after the curtains close.
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