words rachel mok

Roger Lin’s modern take on a classic Chinese love story

Guns, mobile phone and a little bit of rock’n’roll – no, it is not the latest Hong Kong action flick. It is classic Chinese literature as Roger Lin Studio’s interpretation warps the conventional framework of popular Cantonese opera Princess Chang Ping – and maybe the hearts of a few followers of true love as well.

The Princess is composer/director Roger Lin’s first of a trilogy of reworked classic Chinese love stories, which includes The Dream of the Red Chamber and Goddess of the Luo. Why did Lin chose to dig through the mountain of Chinese literature for inspiration? “I have been in the local theatre scene for years and I always think people are passionate for Western literature of the likes of Brecht, Shakespeare and Kafka. Their works have been put on stage countless times and people don’t seem to be tired of it,” says the multi Hong Kong Drama Awards nominee. “But for Chinese literature there seems to be less interest.”

Set in the late Ming Dynasty when the kingdom was about to be taken over by the Manchu, Princess Chang Ping – the tragic love story between the princess and her lover Chow Sai Hin, who in the finale commit suicide together to escape from war and the change of regime – was first staged locally in the 1950s. Starring legendary Cantonese opera stars Yam Kim Fai and Bak Sheut Sin their interpretation of the classic opera was hailed as a masterpiece.
Based around the opening act, Oath Under the Twin Trees, of the eight-scene opera, Lin’s The Princess mostly conforms to Yam and Bai’s vision, though to the director the idea of overwhelming love is something of a myth.

“We see a lot of tragic love stories on TV or in films… that love is a matter of life and death. But in reality this seldom happens,” he says. “It interests me why we love to see it on screen so much though we don’t accept it in real life. Why can’t we admit we won’t sacrifice for love? That is what I want to explore.” Such questions will be posed by the characters played by songbird Bianca Wu (Princess Chang Ping), theatre heart throb Angus Chan (Chow Sai Hin) and veteran actor Simon Lo (Chow Chung, narrator of the story who, after 400-plus years, is still puzzled how a couple can die for each other). Some of the characters will be viewed from a “Hong Kong point of view” (ie sceptical), which may not please those with a romantic bent – but that is of little concern to Lin.

“To me it depends what attitude the audience is bringing into the theatre. I want to give them a few layers of understanding to the story,” says Lin. “What I don’t want is that they follow my thoughts. I want them to have the freedom to be inspired.”

Lin believes The Princess is a tale for young couples and so a live band playing pop, psychedelia and some rock’n’roll will provide the music for the shows while audiences shouldn’t be surprised if cast members in contemporary dress pull guns or mobile phones in the middle of the ancient dialogue. Video and CG projection and will also be added to make the story even more current. Still, Lin with a touch of self mockery, points to his relative maturity: “If I was Chow I would ask the Princess to negotiate with the king first to see what can he offer”.u
s and not kill ourselves too soon,” the director smiles.

The Princess will be staged from October 9 to 12 at HK City Hall Theatre at 8:15pm. A matinee show on October 11 will start at 3:15pm. Tickets are $240 and $180 from URBTIX, 2734 9009.