Would the Chinese appreciate Still Game's Paul Riley in motorbike glasses?

Would audiences, in the likes of Shanghai, comprehend the work of the prestigious theatre company?

Would the Chinese appreciate the talents of the cast, which included Still Game’s Paul Riley in the company?

And how about cultural clashes? Would they get in the way of appreciating a very different artistic sensibility?

All that, and more, is revealed in new BBC Scotland documentary, James Joyce Goes To China.

The programme offers a fascinating insight into the journey of the Tron troupe, led by artistic director Andy Arnold.

And it reveals that the staging of Joyce’s Ulysses, a play based on the classic novel, was a hugely difficult challenge.

Irish Writer Dermot Bolger reveals he was actually terrified when asked to adapt the book.

“Only a lunatic would do it,” he says of his answer when first approached.

Ulysses is the story of one man’s journey through Dublin in 1904. Leopold Bloom visits funerals, pubs, the seashore, brothels, and then meets up with his wife, who’s been having an affair.

On top of all that, Ulysses is also the story of anti-semiticsm, the lost love of the Blooms, and grief a couple feel having lost their son.

Andy Arnold however was certainly unsure of how the play would be received by a Chinese audience.

“I couldn’t help but thinking what the Chinese audience would make of this bold, bawdy and at times shocking play,” he says, smiling.

And what would they make of the likes of Paul Riley appearing on stage wearing thirties-style motorcycle goggles?

The Tron Theatre Company had toured the play in Scotland and Ireland. But when it performed at the Edinburgh Festivalit was the Chinese who picked up on the Irish play.

“We’d been knocking on doors of Dublin theatres trying to put the play on,” says Andy, “then suddenly someone from the other side of the world turns up.”

Theatre producer Yi Liming saw the play and was captivated.

“After I saw Ulysses I was very impressed,” he says.

“Although the narrative structure is very complex the storyline is very clear and it’s presented cleverly on a small stage.”

Andy Arnold adds; “One of the reasons Mr Yi was keen to take out production was he was keen to promote a more contemporary style of performance. They don’t have that style of theatre there.”

Suddenly, a full scale tour of China was lined up.

“I was aware during the tour of Scotland we’d be playing to some very large venues in China,” says Andy. “But this was all new territory.”

Would the Scots conquer China? What would the Chinese make of the cast which included Gavin Wright, Paul Riley, Grant Smeaton, Stephen Clyde, Jean-Paul Van Cauwelaert, Muireann Kelly, Maeve Fitzgerald and Mary Murray.

Chinese theatre companies, for example, present the concept of stage and time in a very different way.

They get from one scene to a next in a very different way. Would the audience understand this new ‘fluid’ approach?

Would they be confused by the stage changing from a pub to a brothel in a second, appreciate the sense of place, with all the props on the stage at the one time, where a bed is not simply a bed?

And how would it be translated. “It was not an easy process,” says the translator, smiling.

“I tried to keep the sentences to the same length so you would feel the beauty of the language.”

The film takes us to opening night in Shanghai. The play was sold out within days of tickets going on sale.

But what would the reaction be on the night? Ulysses is said to be a universal story, but is China part of the same cultural universe.

The documentary reveals all.

Andy Arnold however sums up the experience.

“It was an amazing opportunity and challenge,” he says, smiling.

“It’s a crazy book and a crazy production. I but I took the philosophy you can do anything you want on stage.

“But it’s tremendous to have the whole thing documented with this film.”

• James Joyce Goes To China, BBC Two Scotland, 10.45pm