怜香伴

I used to think that 歌仔戏 is the most 前卫大胆 opera type but since 2 days ago, I changed my mind. I think 昆曲 is the MOST 前卫大胆 opera type of ALL. It totally won 歌仔戏 hands down. No fight. Its a walkover!

I used to think that 歌仔戏 is so daring and 前卫 because of their costumes, their plot and actions. Like sometimes the actresses even take off their clothes on stage, showing their... I dunno whether I can say 香肩 or not. Or they even sing pop songs or wear Japanese costumes in mini skirt style etc. In a way they are very 前卫大胆 but watching these doesn't make me feel very fascinated or you know, be awed by their revealing costumes. Seeing them do very daring things like... seducing a man and taking clothes on stage also doesn't make me feel very fascinated and in fact, all these lost the 美感 of chinese opera. To me, chinese opera's motto is 美. 优美唱腔，优美身段，漂亮扮相. Everything revolves around this word 美. You ask me, is wearing Japanese mini-skirt 美? Or if taking off clothes on stage is 美? I will have to say no. Totally lost the motto of Chinese opera's 美. Please don't be mistaken that I am criticising Taiwanese opera. I still love Taiwanese opera and there are still very good troupes that doesn't do crazy things like that. For example, I like Holo's performances very much. I also like Tang Mei Yun etc.

So how to be 前卫大胆 and be beautiful at the same time? It's not easy to do but some people did succeed in doing it and they actually did it to the OLDEST form of Chinese opera, Kunqu. How crazy is that. And they are acting it in the Capital of China where the old people are really conservative. I am really fascinated firstly by their courage to do such a thing in the capital of china.. if let's say they do it in Hangzhou or shanghai or Canton.. Maybe still ok lah but Beijing???
Very courageous.

Introducing so much above, the show I want to talk about is 怜香伴, another name is 每人香.

First of all, this script was written in Early Qing Dynasty. To think at that time, someone would have written something like that! However, the script was to outrageous at that time so it was frozen up after a few performances. Until recently, it was brought out again and performed by Beijing Kunqu Troupe. I am so happy that this script can be performed again in its original form. Many years ago, the script was acted by pekin opera but they changed the contents alot, totally lost it's original plot.

The story goes, a lady, Yun, was newly married and went to a temple to pray after the first month of marriage. At the temple, she smelled this beautiful aroma and found out that it comes from another lady, Hua. Yun talked to Hua and wrote poetry with her. She found that she was deeply attracted to Hua! Yun couldn't forget Hua and they met often to 吟诗作对. Hua was also attracted to Yun but they both know that they can't be together because they are both DANs. Yun promised to Hua that in their next life, she will become a man to marry her. Finally, Yun came up with a 'brillant' idea. She asked her husband to marry Hua as second wife! Hua being so deeply in love with Yun agreed to the plan. In between some difficulties happened but in the end, Hua got married with Yun's husband and Yun and Hua lived happily ever after!

By the way, in between these 2 ladies, Yun is the 'male' side. So she is a dan with very male attitude. Has to be very lady when with her husband and be man when with Hua. So interesting right?

I feel quite sad for the husband lah. Apparently, his wife is having affair with his second wife but he doesn't know. And also he is being used by a smoke screen for these 2 ladies to be together. I can imagine how interesting the scene must be on Hua's wedding day.

In a conservative society like China and in Qing dynasty some more, people actually came up with a script like that, totally ignoring the uproar if such a show was being performed.

Mega..... daring script.

Poster of this show. I first saw this poster online and wondered how come there is a poster like this. So I googled the title and found out that there was actually such a show performing in Beijing and it was not long ago. In May, this year. If I had known, I will fly to Beijing to see it!

The thing about this show is, although the title and plot sounds very..... I dunno how to say... Restricted Adults only... It is actually not 恶心. Some people might think such a plot is totally 恶心, like my mum for example, this is still a chinese opera show, some more it's kunqu. So everything is done beautifully. There is totally no 肉欲 in the show, more of like 欣赏. Like the director said, 女同志重情不重欲, the plot was developed in the 情 direction.

This is what I meant when I said above that Chinese opera must be beautiful!

A press conference by the director and the actresses, they did a short demo here. For your information, the director is from Hongkong, the one that directed movies like 蓝宇 and 胭脂扣.

Before the performance in May, the kunqu troupe did a little 发布会 to promote this show. At this conference, there was a 'fashion show' thingy to show the 100+ newly designed costumes. The costumes are really very modernised and trendy. I don't think many people can accept but I totally love the costumes! I love the layering and the flowiness... Below are photos from the press conference, not the actual show.

These 2 'ladies' in red above are men. I like the one with the long hair alot. He looks so elegant here. Like a classical beauty that walked out of a chinese painting.

There are 2 versions of 怜香伴. One is a female version where all the dan roles are acted by females and a male version where all the dans are acted by male.

Don't you think if a male dan was to act as Yun he will be very confusing? A man acting as a dan but must be a 'tomboy' dan. Confusing lor. I would love very much to see how he will act this role.

I like the xiaosheng costume too!

Below are photos from the performance... AWWWWW.... I WANNA SEE IT SO BADLY!!!!!!!

These 2 hua dans are romantic!

After watching Sheng + Dan flirting with each other for so many years... This is really something new!

2 dans 含情脉脉的眼神交流....

And then 私定终身

oh my god! Look at this position!

See the dan on the right side, the taller one is the 'male'.

In the end 有情人终成眷属. The 2 dans got 'married' through a man.

Isn't the photos just so pretty. I wonder.. if I were to act a role like this... How will I act? Susan say that she is interested in acting the 'male' dan. LOL.. She says that role will suit her very well.

Here is also a photo of the actresses during their rehearsal.

Give me some comments? What do you think of a show like this? Will you watch it? Or do you think it is 恶心 like my mum?

I told a few younger friends about this show and apparently, they are also interested in it and told me that they want to see it if they come singapore to perform. LOL. I think one thing for sure.. Those older audience will not like it.... That reminded me, the teacher and another director for this show is a very reputable and old kunqu sheng. He apparently approve of this kind of relationship.

Here are a few videos I took pains to download from tudou and upload in youtube to share with you all. All of them are from the press conference. Unfortunately, there isn't any clips at all of the performance!

Costumes show


Interview of costume designer


Costume Display


Interview of Director