Since Singapore declared its independence from Malaysia in 1965, Chinese street opera has played a significant role in defining Singaporean identity. I followed Singapore’s Chinese street opera troupe, Xin Xin Rong He Teochew Opera (established in Year 2000), for one weekend, only to learn that it will probably take several years to fully understand the complexities that exist within this performing art that is steeped in culture, rooted in religious beliefs and fueled by irrepressible passion. I had the privilege to do a documentary photo shoot at the backstage, while the opera performers were in preparation, doing their make-up, dressing up and getting ready for the show. This was the perfect opportunity for many behind the stage shots, opening a lot of photography opportunities I think are far better than just shooting what happens on stage. You get to see how the performers did the make up by themselves, without external help. You get to see the passion and great discipline the opera performers have, to keep the culture and tradition going strong, though the practice has been losing interest in the newer generation. Their effort, sacrifice and dedication to the art were admirable, and praise-worthy. I applaud their genuine effort and hard work to preserve the Chinese art, which I believe is very important. Chinese Teochew Opera is an ancient art form that faces increasing competition from more modern forms of entertainment. 新加坡随着现代影视技术的发展,普及,潮剧在本地已过了它的黄金时代,但仍然存在着。虽然昔时在耀华力路天外天一带锣鼓喧天,灯火辉煌的场面早已烟消云散,华人子弟也没有人愿意当“戏仔”,但老一辈潮籍老人仍然喜欢潮剧。我年幼时代曾陪同外婆看过潮剧,虽看不懂、听不懂戏中情节,但后来一出爱情剧《陈三五娘》却让我对潮剧古装戏有了兴趣,如今对剧中悲情情节还记忆犹新。 I arrived at the venue, Xian Dang Gong Temple located at Old Tampines Road with some trepidation mid afternoon last weekend, not sure what to expect. But it was not long before I felt very comfortable amongst everyone, they were all so friendly and welcoming, for me it was truly an 'honour' to be able to watch and photograph the performers at this time and who made it so much easier for me. I sat there most of the time mesmerized at the time and effort it was taking to apply the make up, watching the 'transformation' and the costumes. 刚过的周末星期六下午我前往观看新新荣和潮剧团在淡滨尼老路的贤当宫,演出两天潮剧。新新荣和潮剧班这次带来的新剧是《红书宝剑》。简故事围绕着萧山县令梅文进带传家之宝“红书宝剑”探访高珍,被高府恶仆杜子达欺侮。梅文进将实情告知高真。高真大怒,将杜子达赶走。高真将梅文进留宿在府中。杜子达怀恨在心,夜里潜入高府,剌杀梅文进不果,偷走他的红书宝剑,并假造情书诬他与高妻徐月娘有染。高真信以为真,怒休月娘,屈罪梅文进下狱。梅文进与徐月娘一起逃走,改名易姓进京求功名。杜子达穷途末路,沿街叫卖红书宝剑,遇高真被追问,供出实情。高真伤心欲绝,捧灵牌上京请罪。他后来遇见梅文进,兄弟重归旧好,夫妻破镜重圆。 新新荣和潮剧团是在本地2000年前后成立的新剧班,它是从潮音班成立的,勇气可嘉。新新荣和潮剧团经常在勿洛、义顺、宏茂桥、大巴窑等的地方演出,让喜爱看潮剧经典的观众们,大饱眼福。台上一分钟,台下十年功,也因为这些戏班朋友们对传统戏剧的爱戴也因一步一脚印的坚持和热爱传统戏剧文化,我才能有机会欣賞一直保留下來的历史文化演出。 Teochew Opera is a fast disappearing art form and culture here in Singapore, largely because not many and particularly in this present generation, understand the dialect enough to truly appreciate it. But on the other hand, this also makes them exquisite and precious in the art scene giving these performers the much needed recognition which they truly deserved. 表演还没开始之前,我在好奇之下走到后台看演员化妆、卸装。老实说,我那时看演员化妆简直达到了痴迷的程度。我实在想不明白,一个和平常毫无二致的人,用各种颜色的油墨往脸上就那么一画,再穿上各种服装,往台前就那么一站,他就不是他了,而成了另一个人物,开始演绎另一个人物的人生,并且还能引起台前那么多大人的痛恨或同情。这就象一个谜团一样,始终萦绕在我小小的心中。什么叫台上一张皮,台下一张脸就是这个意思。我小时候对潮剧的抵制,对他们的不理解,只有这一刻才真正体会到一个潮剧演员的艰辛,体会到她们的不容易。 I waltzed a few decades back in time to see mostly men and women in their 50s, 60s, dabbling red make-up paint on lips and gelling hair curls readying themselves for the night’s performance. The incandescent light bulbs cast an atmospheric orange-yellow hue over the insides of what felt like a dilapitated, but lively and colourful shack, with costumes strewn all over the place and a network of electrical cables cross-crossing overhead. The performers were more than game in posing for us; a few of them had probably enjoyed a celebrity following in the days of their prime. The makeup process is a labourious one. The performers arrive many hours before the performance to ensure that their makeup and costumes are ready. 化妆中的演员. What I like about it is to see the transformation of painting their faces at the backstage simply because Chinese opera makeup is particularly fascinating and rich in meaning. I also like to observe the interaction between the performers, there’s something about it that draws me. Sometimes I just spend time watching them, chatting, laughing & doing their own things, be it smoking, reading newspaper while waiting for their turns etc. Makeup is an important component of Chinese opera. Exaggerated designs are painted on each performer’s face to symbolise a character’s personality, role and fate. 演员坐在化妆台前, 对着镜子描眉. Each actor has specific make-up styles and each is in charge of applying his or her own make-up. Oftentimes, actors are unrecognisable when their make-up is removed as they are completely transformed by the make-up that defines their character. 我在幕后也看到了一些台前看不到的事情。那些粉墨登场的演员,在台前一本正经,抑扬顿挫地唱了老半天,有的甚至泪落如雨,感动得台下人一阵唏嘘之声。可他回到幕后,就立马堆上了一脸的笑容。我简直看呆了,他们的表情也太丰富了,他们的感情怎么转换得这么快,难怪大人说小孩子,一会儿哭、一会儿笑,跟唱戏似的,原来如此啊。 Most of the performers are used to photographers coming to document them. After a while it’s only natural that a relationship & friendship is build. Most of them treat me very well. They also invited me to have meals with them. It makes you feel like you are part of the family. 一个人要扮演不同的角色,这个转换需要一定的心理承受力。虽然是戏剧,演员也同样要有感情的投入,才能声情并茂,才能打动观众。看着那些在台后谈笑风声的演员,无论是在抽烟或喝茶,一到他们上场,马上就敛起笑容,很快就投入了剧情,我对他们真是佩服得五体投地。 There was a lot of energy on stage, thus a lot of photo opportunities. At times, I had to stay really focused. It was visually pleasing just to watch them. Some were waiting at the side for their turn at the stage. Some were having a quick conversation while others where changing into a new costume. 有时他们在台后相互嬉戏,或是聊天聊得忘了情,突然唤他们上场了,仓促之间总会有出错的,忘戴胡子的,带了刀鞘忘了刀的,背了箭囊忘了弓的,甚至一时之间忘了台词的。他们出去了,往往虚晃一圈,马上返回后台补上,也有人为了救场从台角幕后悄悄递上刀弓的。看听潮剧,尽可能让自己的的思路跟随戏里情节还原到古时候情形,也即是入戏。我总在想,为什么古代人的男女之爱接触面这么狭窄,总离不开庭院深深的高墙。 Apart from the language, costume and stories delivered by these troupes, there are several nuances to observe and learn about culture, creativity and literature during these seemingly simple performances. The assortment of props, arrangement of music and evolution of story-telling methods comprises skills that are both traditional and modern. Adaptation will be the greatest challenge that each street opera troupe will have to contend with. I have found it equally useful to focus on listening to the background music, especially the rhythms of the percussion section, so as to appreciate the emotional nuances that the performers were attempting to convey. As for Teochew Opera, it is a genre of Chinese opera performed in the Teochew dialect with over 450 years of history. Soon on this temporary stage, performers begin to play, fully presenting the charm of Teochew Opera with their powerful voice and agile movements. Audience under the stage immerse themselves in the show, feeling every emotion that the characters feel, no matter happiness or sorrow. After the weekend show, the troupe will head for their next venue, to continue their life both on and off the stage. Acting is an intense experience – those tears could only have sprung from real emotions. 静静观看潮剧的感觉,在我看来,潮剧真的非常有趣,它鲜明的演绎,特色的奏乐,撼动人心的唱腔,无一不带有浓郁的生活艺术气息;然而,我也发现身边人的同龄人大多不喜欢看潮剧,用心欣赏潮剧的年轻人也寥寥无几。 In traditional Chinese opera, postures are one of the methods used to shape characters or express their state of mind. The actors perform gestures or actions which carry symbolic meaning, to convey the character’s personality and emotions, the time and space, or other elements of story development. These Chinese opera performances also encourage a national attitude focused on both remembering the past and preparing for the future in Singapore. Regardless, Chinese street opera combines tradition and modernism and promotes a national culture that brings Singapore’s main ethnic groups. Despite a less apparent appreciation of their art compared to the old days, it was touching to observe the actors evoke even the smallest crowds with physically and emotionally charged performances. 在这个追求时尚的时代,很多人都似乎已经遗忘了传统戏剧,也很少人会去回味传统戏剧。其实传统戏剧都有很多历史故事;戏词、独特的唱腔、戏服、彩妝等都具有文化特色,值得被保留及发扬光大。现在很多外国人都对这文化非感兴趣和他们都在学习戏剧。 I spent the entire afternoon till night to watch these actors and actress transform themselves with makeup, hairdos and costumes. Under stage lighting that was far from state-of-the-art, performing for people who stared at them from a dark street, the actors and actress i watched were magical people keeping the tradition of art alive.
At the backstage of an opera performance, i have explored the brilliance of the traditional performing arts. As the performers prepare for a show with dazzling costumes, unique makeup, stylized movements, beautiful vocal techniques, i was there with them on that day to learn all there is to know about the Chinese tradition. I gained a big insight into some of the mythology behind the characters and costumes. The future of chinese opera may be uncertain despite being a disappearing art form in Singapore. However it will continue to stay so long as the new generation embraces and supports it. It’s good to know there’s a group of younger generation are coming together to learn and perform this art form. I sincerely hope more will come forward. More and more local photographers are documenting and sharing what they captured to keep the presence alive. I also hope that it will stand the test of time for the next generations and generations to come to experience these traditional art performances in the future. A heartfelt thanks to Xin Xin Rong He Teochew Troupe for allowing me not only from backstage to onstage during a performance but also graciously permitting me to watch them work in action and sharing their stories of their trade with me. I feel honoured to have spent so much time in the presence of such great artists! 可惜,潮剧 “台柱” 缺乏新人材,近年的本地潮剧观众渐渐已“断层”,也许只有我外婆那一辈的老人如今还对潮剧情有独钟。一个戏剧没了观众,缺乏互动,你说能维持下去吗?演员出演虽然声情并茂,可是就是缺乏知音人,现在有关潮剧的编剧作曲逐年少,而最关键就是潮剧缺乏接班人。 潮剧在新加坡的发展命运是值得我们关注的。怎样保护好本土文化,传承潮汕传统艺术,延续与发展一个地方特色文化已经是至关重要。文化艺术要发展,传统剧目要开发,潮剧要回归城市,让更多的年轻人欣赏到潮剧的精湛表演,体验潮汕文化的独特魅力。 到潮剧演员们的后台,让我感觉到在场的演员们都佷平易近人,一点架子都没有,也让我深深感觉到他们背后的辛勤付出:他们真的很辛苦:当时,由于天气很闷热,他们在后台都是汗流浃背,那时候心里有一阵心酸,同时也深深的佩服他们为了梦想而努力着,感谢他们一直都在为潮汕的艺术默默地贡献着。在这里,我要对每一位用心努力的潮剧演员说一声:您们辛苦了!祝愿每一位还在为自己梦想打拼的演员一切顺利,祝愿您们在潮剧的艺术道路越来越成功!潮剧,潮汕四百多年历史沉淀的民间艺术,以其独特的魅力占据着潮汕人民的内心,希望有着更多的九零后的年轻人会喜爱上潮剧!
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