Classic submarine novel stirs wave of anticipation

Chinese artists present stage version of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Cheng Yuezhu reports.

One of the classic French books that Chinese readers are likely to have encountered during their childhood is the sci-fi novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by literary giant Jules Verne.

Joining natural scientist Pierre Aronnax, his servant Conseil, and harpooner Ned Land, the readers go on adventures aboard Captain Nemo's submarine Nautilus, exploring the underwater forests, navigating the Antarctic ice fields and battling a giant squid.

Over the 150 years since its publication, the book has been made into countless adaptations, including films, comics and stage plays. As 2024 marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France, the Central Academy of Drama and the Hong Kong Arts Festival invited artists from both China and France to coproduce a stage rendition of the novel.