Centre 42 » Forbidden City https://centre42.sg Thu, 16 Dec 2021 10:08:35 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.30 FORBIDDEN CITY by Singapore Repertory Theatre https://centre42.sg/forbidden-city-by-singapore-repertory-theatre-2/ https://centre42.sg/forbidden-city-by-singapore-repertory-theatre-2/#comments Thu, 31 Aug 2017 09:08:39 +0000 http://centre42.sg/?p=7530

“两只眼睛看慈禧“

Reviewer: Liu Chang | 刘畅
Performance: 13 August 2017

慈禧太后（1835 – 1908）是中国近代史上颇具争议的人物，实际掌权时间可达四十七年之久（1861 – 1908），一生留下许多待解之谜，深得东西方史学家和各类文艺作品的强烈兴趣。慈禧一生跌宕起伏，身处内忧外乱的末代皇室，又逢新旧世界秩序交替，东西方文化冲撞，国际局势风起云涌，故仅以一部长度为两至三小时的歌剧来塑造其形象注定不易，且难面面俱到。

<Forbidden City – Portrait of an Empress>基于历史真实存在的美国女画家Katherine Carl （1865 – 1938）为慈禧太后画像一事（1903-1904，历时9个月），并参考Katherine Carl相关回忆录《With the Empress Dowager of China》（1906年出版）创作而成。该剧首演于2002年，十六年间多次重演，无缘观看，故不作比较，仅以2107年版本做讨论。

本剧虽然没有对慈禧本身及大历史提出更新颖的理解和诠释，但在塑造人物形象方面还是比较成功地完成了高难度挑战。深究其成功的原因，可谓该剧的视角选择比较精巧，兼顾了中国历史背景和西方之眼，始终将慈禧太后置于大历史之下审视，同时又不忘叶赫那拉是一个纯粹的人类个体。

首先，全剧通过老年慈禧对美国女画家讲述回忆，有机地将慈禧一生中几个重要转折点、及晚清史上的大事件融合贯通起来，既刻画了叶赫那拉个体的遭遇（爱情，丧夫，丧子，被千夫所指等），又将其置于动荡时代的风口浪尖，描绘其政治经历及成长（火烧圆明园，垂帘听政，戊戌变法，义和团等），也满足了观众对与慈禧相关的历史之谜的好奇心（同治之死，王权争夺等）。并且，值得一提的是，配角（亲王，史官）和合唱队的表现优秀，展现出一个动荡的时代与人民的愤怒，却又没有抢主角的风头，有效地帮助完成了慈禧形象的塑造。这样就使得在中国历史框架下，在权力争夺、王室危亡和愤怒民心之背景下，慈禧本人的形象较为全面且立体。

另外，通过美国女画家及英国记者George Morrison的视角，是为西方之眼来看待慈禧。英国记者代表了侵略者殖民者的立场，对政治人物慈禧不满，进行造谣中伤，搅乱局势；而女画家自始至终都关注和同情叶赫那拉个人的爱与痛。同时，英国记者对女画家的欺骗和利用，既增加了戏剧悬念与冲突，也为该剧添加了一个叙事维度，使得女画家与慈禧惺惺相惜：同为女性，画家与叶赫那拉均面临着爱情的折磨，各有各的痛苦。这样，慈禧在西方之眼下，虽依然不能摆脱风云人物所要面临的世人指摘和矛盾境遇，却也兼备普世的人性困境。这是对上述将慈禧置于中国历史框架下观看的一种很好的补充，不仅符合当时中西交流的历史事实，也丰富了该剧的文化层次。

Do you have an opinion or comment about this post? Email us at info@centre42.sg.

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

FORBIDDEN CITY by Singapore Repertory Theatre
8 – 27 August 2017
Esplanade Theatre

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

刘畅是一位小说家。写小说的人想要亲近剧场，从剧评人开始，不知是否为一条良好的途径。看戏时难免会比较小说与剧场。此二者将互相提记，互相关照，在时与空的维度上，共同面对历史的阔大和瞬间的短暂，以及人性的清亮、暗沉与暧昧。

]]> https://centre42.sg/forbidden-city-by-singapore-repertory-theatre-2/feed/ 0 FORBIDDEN CITY by Singapore Repertory Theatre https://centre42.sg/forbidden-city-by-singapore-repertory-theatre/ https://centre42.sg/forbidden-city-by-singapore-repertory-theatre/#comments Tue, 22 Aug 2017 03:57:56 +0000 http://centre42.sg/?p=7480

“Forbidden City“

Reviewer: Selina Chong
Performance: 12 August 2017

This is the fourth time the Singapore Repertory Theatre (SRT) and Esplanade are staging Forbidden City, a local musical with music and lyrics by Dick Lee and Stephen Clark. This is also the third time I’ve seen the production, and am heartened to have seen it evolve through the times.

Sheila Francisco and Kit Chan reprise their roles as the Empress Dowager at two different stages of her life. This year, Cheryl Tan also joins the duo and plays the younger Yehenara. To be honest, I exited the theatre after the first half feeling disappointed because I had expected Kit Chan,  based on the pre-show publicity. That said, Cheryl Tan is excellent: her voice is clear and she has the necessary stage presence. When she sings “My Only Chance”, there is enough hope and desperation to tug at the heartstrings. Kit Chan’s instrument has changed with age and when she belts out the big notes in “Why Dream of Love?”, it falls just short of a punch. In fact, compared to the other two actors playing Yehenara/Empress Dowager, I felt Kit Chan was, surprisingly, the weakest.

The ensemble cast does not disappoint. Steffanie Leigh’s portrayal of American painter Kate Carl is commendable. Her strong pipes fills the hall in the opening number, “Dragon Lady”. In her duets with Morrison, played by Earl Carpenter, she easily overpowers him and consequently, he comes across unengaging and rather dull. Sebastian Tan and Dwayne Lau also provide much entertainment as the court’s record keepers. They share good chemistry and work well to set the appropriate tone for the scene. In the first half, they are jolly and bring great energy to the stage; in the second half, they sombrely narrate the Hundred Days’ Reform and Boxer Rebellion.

Dick Lee’s music has come to be very familiar to Singaporeans. The music he has written for Forbidden City is melodic and rousing. The catchier numbers like “Starting with the Eyes” and “Summer Palace” share hummable motifs, while the emotive pieces like “My Only Chance” and “Why Dream of Love?” are deeply stirring. To me, Lee’s music is what makes Forbidden City a cultural icon in Singapore.

Forbidden City is a very competent musical: the set is nimble, the costumes are pretty, and the music stands the test of time, much like the Forbidden City itself. It is, in essence, a crowd pleaser. Given its popularity, it is little wonder SRT and Esplanade restaged it 15 years after it was commissioned for the Esplanade Opening Festival in 2002. It is a suitably grand gesture.

Do you have an opinion or comment about this post? Email us at info@centre42.sg.

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

FORBIDDEN CITY by Singapore Repertory Theatre
8 – 27 August 2017
Esplanade Theatre

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Selina loves the theatre and its ability to engage, enrapture, and entertain. The magic of the stage never ceases to create joy and wonder for her. The potential of the theatre to educate also dovetails with her teacher duties and she wishes more young people had time to watch a show instead of attend another tuition lesson.

]]> https://centre42.sg/forbidden-city-by-singapore-repertory-theatre/feed/ 0