Review-Excerpt Performance-West Kowloon Bamboo Theatre
13-2-13
By: Meaghan McGurgan
Tuesday was another day of free performances by the West Kowloon Bamboo Theatre Festival. Once again the queue for the free showcase was pretty ridiculous. I was very happy I lined up a half hour early. If you plan on going to free performances on Saturday I highly recommend you come early as the seating is first come/first served and some people this afternoon were not able to see the performance.
The afternooon's performance was an excerpt showcase of ten smaller numbers from various well known operas. If you have never seen Cantonese Opera before I recommend you come out to a showcase like this as it has a variety of different styles of songs, from the very comedic take on the number from The Embroidered Shoes to the more romantic Picking Plum Blossoms.
Once again there was no program provided for the audience as it was free showcase. They were nice enough to put the name of the numbers on the surtitle display before each piece - well appreciated as some of the numbers were kind of similar and it would have been a little difficult otherwise to know when they were changing.
This performance was put on by the students at Hong Kong Young Talent Opera Troupe. They may have been young but they were very good. Cantonese Opera is one of those art forms you study for 10+ years before they even let you set foot on a stage. Talk about dedication to your craft!
The best parts of Cantonese Opera in my opinion are the costumes, the makeup, and the fearless theatricality. There are huge similarities in the comedic stylings I saw today with Italy's Commedia dell' Arte. I think anyone can come out and enjoy these free showcases whether they speak Cantonese or not. With a show like this you don't have to worry about reading the surtitles or following a storyline. You just sit back and "let them entertain you" - which is quite relaxing, I must say!
The music was really beautiful and the singers were excellent. I really enjoyed the Fad Dans in particuar. They had beautiful voices and had an element of grace in their performance that reminded me of the geishas I saw in Japan. Kwan Hoi-shan who played the military character was also very good and funny. He reminded me of Gaston from Beauty and the Beast.
I would highly recommend the West Kowloon Bamboo Theatre's free showcases as an excellent intro to Cantonese Opera - especially for kids. They will get to see all the costumes and the makeup and learn about the character archetypes. Once you understand the archetypes in this style of Opera the stories are easy to understand. It's a wonderful cultural experience, free, and a type of performance style which is truly unique to Hong Kong's heritage.
Ok, there were some people in the audience who did not like the show. Kids shifting a bit saying, "I'm bored". Old guys grumbling that they didn't like the "cat screeching." This type of show is not for everyone. If you know you don't like Cantonese Opera I don't think you'll like this show. If you want a show with a traditional storyline, it's also not going to be your cup of tea. But you know what? It's free, the singers were talented and I enjoyed myself.
There will be two more free performances on Saturday. One is a showcase similar to what I saw today and the other is a short Cantonese opera called Warrior's Romance. These will be done by a different young troupe but should still be a good time.
The Free Excerpt Performance by Hong Kong Young Opera Troupe was a one time performance. The West Kowloon Bamboo Theatre will continue through February 16th. For more information please see our What's On calendar.
Comments
No comment at the moment.