Growing Up With Teochew Opera - 13
Teochew Movies & Teochew Opera Troupes From China
中国大陆制作的潮剧电影和潮剧团

In 1984, there was a China Production 张春郎削发. I remembered bringing my parents to 丽宫 ‘Palace’ cinema in Katong to watch the production when it was screened in Singapore about two years later. My late dad praised the production for its beautiful scenes and fine acting skills.

In fact, China was the first country the produce Teochew opera movies. Some of the well known movies included 告亲夫 (1961), 陈三五娘 (1961), 闹开封, 刘明珠 (1963), 苏六娘 (1957) and 火烧临江楼. My late dad told me 苏六娘 and 火烧临江楼 received very strong audience support in Singapore. Many Chinese, including non- Teochew, watched the two movies.

I watched all these movies too. I must admit that 姚璇秋 is really a great actress. I like her 陈三五娘 and 苏六娘.

Here, I would like to share some history about Teochew opera which my late dad once told me. He said in the early 1900’s, many local Teochews regarded Teochew Opera as a low class entertainment of the poor and uneducated. They considered Guangdong Han Opera or 外江戏Gua Kang Hee (Wai Jiang Xi) as high class opera of the educated. Teochew Opera movies in the golden age of the 60’s gave the old Teochews a high class new image as opposed to their earlier views. Then mainland China suffered the Cultural Revolution and the China Teochew Opera movies were very limited.

It was then Hong Kong Teochew Opera movies flourished under such circumstances. 萧南瑛 ‘Siow Nam Eng’ of China migrated to Hong Kong. After Hong Kong 东山潮音剧艺社团 ended its productions, 荘雪娟 and 曾珊凤 went back to Thailand. Teochew Opera in S'pore, Thailand and Hong Kong had since dwindled significantly. The release of 张春郎削发 was like discovering an oasis in Sahara desert. 洪妙 acted in the movie at the age of 80. It had been a long time since the last movie 辞郎州‘See Nern Chew’ directed by 楚原 ’Chu Yuen’ and casted by丁敏‘Teng Miang’, 罗桂凤‘Loh Gui Hong’ of 昇艺潮剧团 plus 萧南瑛, was screened in the Singapore’s Prince cinema in 1976/77. The Shaw Brothers’ production was released in DVD and VCD in 2009. Also, in the 80’s, 光前戏院 ‘Kong Chian’ cinema in Toa Payoh also made a re-run of the China Teochew hit 苏六娘.

Attached below is a Chinese article extracted from a website about Teochew opera movie production from China. It confirmed what my late dad told me about the popularity of some movies.

五十年代末期和六十年代初期，中国潮剧电影以雷霆万钧之势，震撼了新加坡潮剧艺坛。人们意想不到潮剧艺术会如此优美、典雅和清新；它的演艺原来是这样的美妙细腻；它的音乐原来是这样的丰富动人；令人一看再看，百看不厌；令人一听再听，百听不腻。

第一部来到新加坡上映的潮剧电影是《火烧临江楼》，那是一九五八年的事。不久，《苏六娘》《告亲夫》《陈三五娘》《刺粮骥》《芦林会》《王茂生进酒》《刘明珠》《闹开封》等先后进入本邦，受到人们热烈的欢迎，因此对潮剧艺术刮目相看，衷心赞赏。学青衣的莫不争学洪妙，一时刺激了整个星洲潮剧，掀起了模仿中国潮剧电影的热潮。职业的戏班固不必说，就是业余的民间团体，亦如雨后春笋，欣然成长。余娱儒乐社、陶融儒乐社、六一儒乐社等原为研究汉剧的社团也都改演潮剧；杨厝港村民互助社特设潮剧组；炽昌黄氏公会的戏剧组也独立出来另组南华儒剧社；这些团体都广收会员，积极展开活动，日常以潮曲、潮不为消闲娱乐，遇周年志庆则自租剧院公演潮剧，免费招待各界人士。从此，潮剧艺坛在新加坡开拓了另一新纪元，盛况空前，蔚为大观。然而，好景不常，中国文革期间，人们热切盼待的中国潮剧顿时销声匿迹。此情只待成虚而入，短短数年中，输入本邦的少说也有几十部。

I like some Teochew opera troupes form China too. 潮州市潮剧团Teochew Teo Kiat Tuan is one of them. I was fascinated when I watched their 宝莲灯 and ‘御园辨亲’ on VCDs and these are very good plays. In fact, the troupe came to Singapore to perform twice but I missed their performances. For China’s production, I have a special feeling for those movies produced in the 1950s/1960s. These include 苏六娘, 告亲夫, 陈三五娘, 刘明珠, and 火烧临江楼. I also like to watch 折子戏 like 王茂生进酒, 闹开封, 断桥会, 杨令婆辩本, 回 书, 闹钗, 龙井渡头, 柴房会 and 梅亭雪, and listen to 三哭殿, 姜通上京 and 急子回国 on CDs.

Someone asked me whether there is any difference between opera troupes from China and Hong Kong and what’s the difference between these foreign troupes and local troupes? My personal view is that Hong Kong troupes resemble our local troupes in terms of costumes, make up and music and hence the personal touch.