Karl Marx is making a singing and dancing comeback on the Shanghai stage taking "socialism with Chinese characteristics" to a glitzy new level.

Producers of "Das Kapital" say the famous German philosopher's work is as relevant in today's turbulent time as it was in the 1860s.

"We will bring his economic theories to life in a trendy, interesting and educational play, which will be fun to watch," said director He Nian.

Yang Shaolin, general manager of the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center, which is producing the show, said "Das Kapital" still has answers for today's economic and social woes.

The production will premiere next year and include singing, dancing, a live band, animation, and new media.

The story will revolve around a group of office workers who discover their boss is exploiting them and each group reacts differently.

The director said he planned to borrow the structure from the famous Japanese film "Rashomon" to show workers' different viewpoints.

He said some are willing to be exploited by the company, and the tighter they are squeezed the more "worth" they feel.

Others rise in mutiny, but ruin the company and their livelihoods.

And the smart ones band together for using their collective wisdom to deal with the boss.

He, who is famous for his martial-arts spoofs "My Own Swordsman" and "Crazy Craziness," said his money-driven city was a relevant backdrop to expand on Marx's theories of capitalism.

"What happens on Wall Street impacts Shanghai at the same time," He said.

"Whenever I have dinner with friends who work in offices, they talk about budget cuts or employees layoffs."

He said playwrights and experts are working on a final script.

Fudan University economics professor Zhang Jun is one of academic advisors on board to ensure Marx's theories are not lost in the theatrical translation.

"It seems good timing to do the play when the global economic crisis has become a keyword in people's lives," said Zhang, who is head of the university's Chinese Economy Studies Center.

"A theatrical production can be an easily-understood approach for ordinary people to know about economic theories and to reflect on the global financial crisis which has influenced their daily life, or else 'Das Kapital' will remain a masterpiece only for economists or socialists."

The professor said the heated discussion among Chinese 30 years ago was: "What do people live for?" Today people are asking: "What do we do with the money?"

"People have become more materialistic," he said.

Karl Marx is enjoying a rise in popularity in recent times.

In Japan last year, a magna cartoon version of "Das Kapital" was a bestseller and the father of socialism also made the cover of the Europe edition of Time magazine, which reported on the public's weakening confidence in the capitalist ruling elite.

(China Daily, March 23, 2009)