Asian Shakespearean Tourism

Abstract

In his chapter on Global Shakespeare and globalized performance (2017), Dennis Kennedy likens Shakespeare to a tourist — adaptable enough to fit into new situations yet remaining true to his own unique character. He describes Shakespeare as having a ‘passport to anywhere’: used, for example, in Asia, for his high name recognition which opens doors to festivals and funding. We contend that Asian Shakespeare Tourism has evolved into a distinct category which coalesces around three main loci: visits by Asian tourists to ‘biographical’ Shakespeare sites such as Stratford and The Globe, visits to performances/festivals held in Asian cities, and visits to local sites which replicate parts of the Shakespeare Myth. As disposable incomes have risen, especially in China, so travel to Western Europe has become a rite of passage. Although tourists may not primarily visit cultural sites on short trips, there is a market among international students and their visitors for such visits. Within this market is a motivation to visit sites associated with literary figures in order to acquire cultural capital. Shakespeare is the primary figure for literary tourism within the United Kingdom. Productions and adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays in Asia are manifold and attract visitors to intercultural centres such as Hong Kong and Singapore as well as the urban conglomerates of Beijing and Tokyo. There are several theatre groups within these areas which perform Shakespeare plays in English and local languages. A vibrant arts scene is supported by government funding and attracts visiting theatre groups. Shakespeare is also taught in many secondary schools and tertiary institutes in Asian cities which contributes to the demand for such performances. Asian Shakespeare Tourism has expanded through the rapid development of the Chinese market. There has been increasing efforts to replicate important literary sites in Mainland China to allow for domestic visitors who may not travel abroad. An example of this can be seen in the recent announcement of a Shakespeare birthplace replica in Jiangxi Province, scheduled for completion in 2022 in conjunction with buildings commemorating Cervantes and Tang Xianzu all of whom died in 1616.