Watching “The Shawshank Redemption” on stage in China

IS HOPE A dangerous thing in China? Theatregoers in Beijing have been mulling that question, with two new stage adaptations exploring themes of injustice, freedom and renewal. “The Shawshank Redemption” (pictured) is set in mid-20th-century America, while “Les Misérables” takes place in 19th-century France. Both feature characters who are unjustly imprisoned and suffer under cruel jailers and corrupt systems.The plays, performed in Mandarin, might seem a bit too on the nose for Chinese censors. After all, the Communist Party has been known to play the role of cruel jailer in real life. The party also disputes the notion that freedom and human rights are universal values.