Growing Up With Teochew Opera - 5
Teochew Street Opera And Hungry Ghost Festival - 2

街戏与庆中元

During the 1970s, over at Lorong 5 Toa Payoh, 新荣和兴潮剧团 was the only troupe invited to perform at 修德善堂, during every lunar eight month. It was a very popular troupe during that time and it was my mum’s favourite troupe. Now that 新荣和兴潮剧团 had folded up, I understand that老赛桃源潮剧团 has taken over the slot.

My family stayed in Block 126 at Lorong 1 Toa Payoh. It is near the only wet market in Lorong 1. I was very happy because during that time, whenever there is a market or hawker centre, there would be local street opera performances because the hawkers and stall holders would pool their resources together to offer their thanks to gods and the 7th month good brothers. Like the temple at Lorong 4, this market has been inviting the same Teochew opera troupe to perform on the 26th and 27th day of the lunar 7th month every year. The first year in 1970 was packed with audience. It drew more than 1000 people to watch the opera performed by 织云潮剧团. This was the only Teochew street opera troupe that engaged the rope and pulley system where the actress could fly up and down on stage, mirroring what one could see in Chinese movies. The first ever performance was 胭脂魂, a typical movie by 长城 Movie production. There was a scene where the actress hung herself and 织云潮剧团 did it by rope and pulley system. They also controlled the lightings very well and the whole stage looked eerie.

织云潮剧团 and 新荣和兴潮剧团 were the heavenly kings of the Teochew street opera troupes. They were like NIKE and SWATCH. All the old and young fans knew them. I usually stand in front of the wayang stage and had the opportunity to hear old uncles and aunties telling stories about the show, about these heavenly kings personal life, etc. They had many supporters. There is no doubt that the number of supporters for artistes in the 70’s and 80’s is comparable to those who supported Superstar Search or Singapore Idol. I watched 张廷芳 by 九妹 in the day, and 辞郎州 in the evening. Still, I could not fully understand what they were singing but the actions tell. It was very much later that my mum told me 张廷芳 was a fugitive and married many women to escape from his enemies. I appreciated the plot of 辞郎州 much later after having watched it many times.

The photo below shows the two main leads of 织云潮剧团, ie 李淑真 and 珠华 taken in year 2008. To me, they still look good. The quality of their voice is still very solid.

There was an open space outside Block 68 Lorong 5 Toa Payoh where I went there quite often too. I remembered 织云潮剧团 performed that classic opera 三看御妹刘金定. There was another popular wayang performance place at a car park outside Block 102 (It is now very different as new blocks had been rebuilt. Just outside the Yellow Page building.) Lorong 2 Toa Payoh. I watched 老三正顺潮剧团 performed 七子救驾 (literally means 7 sons saved emperor, a story about the Yang’s warriors in the Song Dynasty). 老中正顺潮剧团 also performed there. 新荣艺潮剧团 performed 双龙争凤 (the plot is about Two Dragons Competing for a Phoenix) there and my mum and I watched that performance together. I could remember that the main leads were not that fantastic because the female lead was not slim enough and the actress who played the male lead had very small eyes. 老玉春香潮剧团 also performed 双枪陆文龙 at the same place. By the way, this 小生 who acted as 陆文龙 later moved to 老一枝香潮剧团 and played male lead in a few shows including 三驸马 and subsequently to 织云潮剧团 which I loved her role as 李太白in 唐宫秘史. In 2004, I saw her performing in 老赛桃源潮剧团 as male lead in the show 烈女斩夫 and 铁 面 海 瑞 or better known as 怒 斩 玉 面 狼 in China.

One wondered why there were so many opera performances in different parts of Toa Payoh. There are many temples, markets and food centres in Toa Payoh. Some temples were relocated to this place with villagers from different kampongs under the resettlement programmes in the 60’s/70’s. One possible reason for them to relocate to different parts of Toa Payoh was because it was one of the newest HDB town that time. As the temples would invite local street opera troupes to perform during the birthday of different gods, these temples also became the new locations for watching opera. The temples, market places and hawker centres in Toa Payoh also invited opera troupes to perform during the lunar 7th month festival. Hence, there were many opportunities to watch opera shows in Toa Payoh as compared to the time when people stayed in rural areas.

It appeared that Teochew street opera was more popular in Toa Payoh. It was followed by Hokkien opera. Like that market in Lorong 1, Blk 127, the organizers would invite Teochew opera troupe to perform during seventh month and Hokkien opera during the eight or tenth. The organisers had to take turn because the market had hawkers of different dialect groups. I remembered there was a particular year where a Hokkien stall holder became the 炉主 (akin the Chinese god appointed him to take care of the event the next year) and he objected to engaging 织云潮剧团 for the subsequent year. There was strong protest because no one could guarantee if 织云潮剧团 would return again if not awarded the performance contract for one year. At that time, it was very difficult to engage a popular troupe if no prior arrangement had been made. Finally, out of peer pressure, 织云潮剧团 continued to perform at Toa Payoh Lorong 1 market even up till today. It was rare to see Cantonese opera and it was only staged at Lorong 4 or Lorong 7 Toa Payoh. Such troupe was specially invited from Hong Kong. As for Yishun, you find more Hokkien opera than Teochew opera. There is one temple near Yishun swimming complex, they only invite Hokkien troupes. I don’t know the reasons.

All along my favourite troupe from that day I knew how to appreciate street opera till now is still 织云潮剧团. I heard from my parents that this was the only troupe that sent their musicians to learn from 新天彩潮剧团. The way they beat the drum is very similar. Their titles were very unique. They put up performances which were adapted from Chinese movies including 胭脂魂 and 神雕侠侣 from 长城公司 in Hong Kong. There were no other Teochew street opera troupes that performed shows adapted from movies. They also put up performances like 雪飞王子 which no other troupes had done so.