Watching My First Teochew Opera Performance This Lunar 7th Month
观赏2009年庆中元的第一场潮剧演出



已经将近一年没观看织云潮剧团的演出。通过织云潮剧团的戏友，阿弟，才知道织云潮剧团在农历7月的前几天在西部多个地区演出,要等到农历7月11和12日才会到宏茂桥10道演出。 刚好农历7月11日是星期日，而且当晚没分两台，想必应该有看头。

农历7月11日一早细雨下个不停，接近中午时分驾车去寻找戏台。刚好大哥住在宏茂桥10道，就上他家拜访，过后打电话给阿弟才知道原来是在大牌536演出。终于找到戏台了，织云潮剧团刚好在演出六国封相的扮大仙。于是，致电给年轻朋友Terence,告诉他演出地点。 那天下午一直在回想上回和几个泰国演员聊天的情景，想到晚上会再一次见到他们，高兴不已。晚上和Terence 一起观看演出，也碰到阿弟。

怎么没有演出新戏呢？‘赵氏孤儿’这部戏已经演过很多次了呀！哎呀!那几位泰国演员跑去哪里了？温赛真，亚达和他的老婆，阿陆，谢妙珍等人呢！真的好失望哦！还好有老生钟喜坤和碧芳，也有老赛桃源潮剧团的演员参加演出。老生钟喜坤今晚的声线很不错，毕竟已经71岁了，真难的。阿弟对我说织云潮剧团和老赛桃源潮剧团有好多个晚上都没有接到演出的合约，所以有时他们两个团体会联合演出。听了真的不敢相信，想当年潮剧团在农历7月的档期是排的满满的，不提早签约是请不到他们的，现在还有空档。不知这几个职业潮剧团可以支撑到几时？。

It has been close to a year since I last watched Chek Hoon Teochew Opera Troupe performed at Siew Teck Temple at Lorong 5 Toa Payoh. On the eve of the lunar 7th month, I called Ah Di, a fan of Chek Hoon, to enquire about the schedule. As usual, the first few days of the performance were concentrated at locations in the West like outside NTU and Padan Valley. The nearest venue would be at Ang Mo Kio on the 11th and 12th day of the lunar 7th month which was 30 and 31 Aug 09, respectively. 30 Aug 09 happened to be a Sunday. It was a great opportunity to watch this troupe again. Ah Di told me for these 2 days, the troupe did not split into 2 troupes. So, I would expect a good show.

I told Terence about the schedule and promised to provide more details so that he could find the location. On Sunday, it started to rain early in the morning and was still drizzling close to noon. I decided to drive to recce the place the place in advance. I ended up at Blk 575, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10. So, I went to pay a visit to my eldest brother. Then, I called Ah Di and he told me it was at Blk 536. I managed to locate the stage at about 20 minutes past noon. Then, I saw the afternoon performance where Chek Hoon was staging the ceremonial performance. I stood there for a while and called Terence to inform him about the details.

That afternoon, I tried to recall those actors and actresses from Thailand whom I met last year. I missed them quite a lot. I told myself I must catch up with them and have a good chat. I left home at about 7 pm to meet up with Terence. To my disappointment, Chek Hoon put up 'The Orphan of Zhao'. I also noticed that many familiar faces were gone. Luckily, Cheng Hee Koon and Pheck Huang acted that evening. Ah Di told me Chek Hoon did not have full booking this lunar 7th month. At some locations, Chek Hoon will combine with Lao Sai Tor because that troupe had even less performance contract this year. My goodness. Gone are the days where organisers must booked them well in advance or else they would be fully booked. I wonder when all the local teochew opera troupes would fold up one day. It may be soon.

老赛桃源潮剧团 - 烈女斩夫




丁亥年农历十月十五， 阳历十二月二十四日，老赛桃源潮剧团在文德路的同的善堂演出两天潮剧。 由于当天是平安夜只作半天工，吃完晚餐后搭地铁和巴士到同德善堂去看街戏。到达时已晚上八点，戏已开罗，一看戏牌感到欣慰，因为演出的是我没看过的‘烈女斩夫’。





烈女王兰英的夫婿别妻后到京城驯驹有功做官。奸监刘瑾与尚书商量后收他为义子，尚书同时招他为婿，两人想借他的力量造反夺帝位。王兰英背子上京认夫被拒，半路拦道尚书告状。尚书携带她们母子回府与女婿相聚，并叫女儿称兰英为姐。 原来尚书不怀好意，三更放火，想烧死兰英母子。兰英逃脱投奔山寨。




刘瑾众人逼帝退位。皇帝在逃亡时获兰英相救，皇帝封她为兵马大元帅。兰英挂帅与夫婿交锋，擒拿夫婿。此时，刘瑾与尚书双双逃走被擒。




皇帝登殿审案，并让兰英决定自己夫婿的死活。兰英左思右想后决定大义灭亲，于是皇帝下令斩兰英的夫婿。

湖阳公主 怒斩玉面狼 金殿辨本
新加坡老赛桃源潮剧团

看完‘罗衫记’后，欲罢不能，在6月13日又赶去观看老赛桃源潮剧团的演出。当晚该团演出‘湖阳公主’。香港新天彩潮剧团也拍过‘湖阳公主’，戏名叫‘金殿辨本’。也有些剧团把此戏称为‘怒斩玉面狼’。发觉该团把董宣改为李冠，但不会影响剧情。



很欣赏老赛桃源潮剧团演李冠的老生，他的唱功很好，让人听出耳油。饰演湖阳公主的花旦也演的很好，人不但长得美，也演得够凶。另一点令我特别激赏的是，老赛桃源潮剧团在戏服，头饰、化妆等各方面都一丝不苟，具有专业水准。



第一场调戏民妇 - 汉光武年间，湖阳公主贴身侍卫袁彪倚仗权势，调戏民妇王氏，连杀三命。

第二场湖阳责袁彪 - 洛阳令董宣微服私访，洞察案情，愤然亲上湖阳宫缉拿凶犯。潮阳公主骄横跋扈，非但不交出袁彪，反将董宣羞辱。过后，湖阳公主也将袁彪责骂一番。



第三场董宣拦道，怒斩玉面狼 - 面对冤魂呼号，民怨沸腾，董宣忍无可忍，含泪托孤别妻，决意抛家舍命，为民伸冤，遂乘公主上朝之机，带兵拦道。公主怒骂董宣，不肯交出袁彪。董宣在认出袁彪后，命令手下将他生擒，并叫袁彪招供。湖阳公主命董宣放人，董宣不依， 当场怒斩玉面狼袁彪。





第四场董宣请罪 - 董宣怒斩玉面狼袁彪后，带罪上金銮。



第五场湖阳闹金銮 - 公主闹上金銮，请兄王刘秀斩董宣。



第六场王氏拦道 - 王氏担心董宣的安危，拦道尚书喊冤。






第七场金殿辨本 - 董宣慷慨陈词，撞案明志。光武帝刘秀欲赦董宣而碍于公主情面，命其向公主叩头谢罪，董宣死不肯叩头。刘秀感董宣刚直不阿，执法如山，封其为强项令，并赐上方宝剑以正朝纲。

罗衫记 - 老赛桃源潮剧团

很久没有观看老赛桃源潮剧团的演出了。这次很幸运的有机会观赏老赛桃源潮剧团演出的‘罗衫记’。认识该团的班主黄茸尼先生是十多年前的事情了。上次多亏他的帮忙，才有机会安排该团的当家花旦和小生帮我和我的太太化妆，并以状元夫人的造型让我们顺利拍了一系列的潮州戏曲相公夫人的结婚专辑。那次的经验实在令人难忘。

在6月12 日观看‘罗衫记’时，我还特地跑到后台和黄先生打个招呼。'罗衫记' 的剧情十分感人。

第一场杀江 - 新任知府苏云携眷南溪赴任，不意误乘江湖大盗徐能贼船，中途被其沉江杀害。苏云之妻郑氏貌美，徐能意图占有，幸能之弟徐用见郑氏身怀有孕，不忍其受残害，暗中将郑氏及乳娘放走。






第二场失子 - 荒郊途中，郑氏产一子，并以家传罗衫裹之。天明贼众追来，乳娘年迈恐累及主母，乘郑氏寻杖之机，将儿藏于草中，投井自尽。贼众追至，拾得婴儿，狂喜而归。郑氏返来见乳娘投井，寻儿不见，只得投宿尼庵栖身。





第三场赠衫 - 十五年后，名唤徐继祖的遗儿已经长大，在赴京应试的路上，无意中与汲水回来的苏云之母张氏相遇，得感苏家苦况，甚表同情。张氏赠以罗衫，托其代寻儿媳。



第四场告状 - 秋闱高中，继祖巡抚江南。郑氏闻继祖为官清正，到衙告状。继祖细察案情，见与张氏之言相合，知苏云冤死是实，而凶手竟是自己亲人，决意穷究根底。



第五场审姚 -在继祖的步步追究下，义父姚大中计，尽吐实情，继祖始知自己原为苏云之子。



第六场对衫 - 继祖对衫后，知道自己的身世。



第七场认母 - 继祖下跪认母郑氏。



第八场灭亲 - 继祖将贼众绳之于法，与祖母、母亲合家团圆。

老赛桃源潮剧团 Lau Sai Tau Guan Teochew Opera Troupe
Another Teochew Opera Troupe In Singapore

老赛桃源潮剧团 is one of the local Teochew Opera Troupes which I seldom have many opportunities to watch their performances. In the past, it is quite rare to find this troupe perform in Yishun or Toa Payoh areas. However, I have a strong feeling for this troupe because my wife and I know the owner of this troupe Mr Ng. It was him who helped us fulfilled our wish to have a full make up and dressed up in chinese opera costumes for photo taking. Many thanks to Mr Ng. Below is the female lead who helped my wife with the make-up.

I recalled watching the show '逼反长安' by 老赛桃源潮剧团. Gosh! I was so impressed with their performance. My wife and I watched 老赛桃源潮剧团 performed 柴房会 at 粤海清庙 and many other shows in Ang Mo Kio. The last time I watched this troupe performed was outside Central Mall. 老赛桃源潮剧团 put up 铁面海瑞.

My wife was lucky enough to watch 老赛桃源潮剧团 performed 刘明珠三审玉芝兰 when she brought her students for an outing on opera performance.

I have been waiting for another opportunity to watch 老赛桃源潮剧团. I was so happy to learn that this troupe will be performing at 修德善堂 soon. Unfortunately, it coincides with my holdiay trip to USA. What a miss!.