In the upcoming theatrical adaptation of renowned writer Pai Hsien-yung’s popular novel Crystal Boys (Niezi, or “sons of sin” in Chinese), director Tsao Jui-yuan has invited the well-known Taiwanese gezaixi opera singer Tang Mei-yun to play the important role of Yang Chin-hai (Mob Boss Yang), which in the theatrical version transforms the elderly homosexual man into a gay female mob boss-like character.
Tang says that this is her first time to play the role of a gay woman. “In the play, I’m a totally different sort of woman. I exhibit motherly love and am willing to protect these youths, so it really becomes an alternative sort of family that has more diversity.” Back in the days when her father performed gezaixi on outdoor stages, there were always women playing gender-neutral roles, she says. “They were precisely the sort of role I’m playing now, with my hair slicked back, wearing a suit, but my father always told me to call those women ‘auntie’ so they would give me gifts.” This image and memory gradually resurfaces in her mind during every rehearsal.
Pai also says that he supports gay marriage and does not beat around the bush about it either, “Homosexuality is a part of humanity. People are striving to have this fact recognized, and if it is finally recognized it means that this country admits that heterosexuals and homosexuals are equal.”
Photo courtesy of Formosa Television
照片由民間民視公司提供
How do you give audiences a novel theatrical experience of Crystal Boys? Tsao says that Pai’s original novel is profoundly meaningful and worth reading repeatedly. Pai says that this theatrical version of Crystal Boys is the second time that the novel has been adapted. “I have the easiest job on the entire team,” Pai says. Apart from Tang being a major source of attraction, Golden Bell Awards winner Ting Chiang, veteran actors Samantha Ko and Fan Kuang-yao, along with renowned idol-actors Mo Tzu-yi and Matt Wu will also be joined by a dance troupe consisting of 17 male dancers, who serve as a key part of the performance and are meant to bring out the joys and tribulations of young homosexual boys trapped in the darkness of an unaccepting society.
The stage adaptation of Crystal Boys will be performed at the National Theater from Feb. 7 to Feb. 16 next year.
(Liberty Times, Translated by Kyle Jeffcoat)
將知名作家白先勇同志經典小說《孽子》搬上舞台劇,導演曹瑞原邀約歌仔戲小生唐美雲詮釋原著中重要人物楊金海(楊教頭),在劇中,這個角色從一位老同性戀變成了大姊頭般的女同性戀者。
Photo: Chen Yi-chuan, Liberty Times
照片:自由時報記者陳奕全
唐美雲說,這是她第一次出飾女同性戀,「戲中我是另外一種女性,有母愛,願意庇護這些小青春鳥,這不正是另外一種多元成家。」唐美雲表示,在她父親演出歌仔外台戲的年代,都會有一些打扮中性的女性,「就是我今天這身打扮,梳油頭,穿西裝,但我父親都教我喊阿姑,喊了才有紅包可以拿。」這個記憶,逐漸回到唐美雲每次的排戲之中,成了內在的形象。
白先勇也說支持同性婚姻,白先勇毫不避諱,「同性戀也是人性的一部分,爭取同志的人性被承認,如果承認,這才表示這個國家承認異性戀、同性戀都平等。」
要如何給觀眾全新的《孽子》舞台印象,曹瑞原說,白老師的原著就充滿深意,值得一再觸碰,白先勇則說,《孽子》舞台劇版已經是二度詮釋,「我是這團隊角色中最輕鬆的一位。」這次除了唐美雲是爆點之外,金鐘影帝丁強、影后柯淑勤、影帝樊光耀;還有實力派偶像演員莫子儀和吳中天,十七位焦點舞團男舞者則將帶來隱身於黑暗王國青春鳥群的悲歡年華。
舞台劇《孽子》明年二月七日起演出,直到二月十六日。地點在國家劇院。
(自由時報記者趙靜瑜)
A: Yet another shopping mall has just opened in Taipei. B: Do you mean the Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport Nangang? A: Yeah, the shopping mall run by Japanese Mitsui & Co. opened last week. B: I hear the mall features about 300 stores, Vieshow Cinemas and Japanese Lopia supermarket. A: With the opening, a war is breaking out between Taipei’s department stores. A: 台北又有新的購物商場可逛啦。 B: 你是說Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport 南港? A: 對啊這家日本三井集團旗下的商場上週開幕。 B: 聽說商場有威秀影城、樂比亞日系超市,還有多達300家專櫃。 A: 新商場一開幕,看來又要掀起一場百貨大戰啦! (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張迪)
A: Hey, didn’t you go to the opening of the Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport Nangang last week? B: Yeah, there are about 300 shops, including the first overseas branch of Japan’s Mahou Dokoro — a famous Harry Potter-themed store. A: Wow, I’ve always wanted to get a magic wand. B: There are also a bunch of great restaurants, such as Smart Fish hotpot restaurant. A: I wish I had Harry Potter’s “apparition” and “disapparition” magic, so I could teleport to the mall right now. A: 你上週不是有去LaLaport南港的盛大開幕嗎?有什麼特別的? B: 那裡有多達300家專櫃,包括魔法之地的海外首店——它可是日本知名的《哈利波特》專賣店。 A: 哇我一直想買根魔杖。 B: 另外還有各式各樣的美食,像是林聰明沙鍋魚頭。 A: 真希望我也有哈利波特的「現影術/消影術」魔法,能瞬間移動到商場去! (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張迪)
When it comes to movies, some people delight in watching spine-chilling horror films. Surprisingly, apart from containing a few scares, horror movies may also offer an unexpected __1__. According to a study, watching 90 minutes of a scary movie can burn an average of 113 calories, which is roughly __2__ to taking a 30-minute walk. Researchers from the University of Westminster carried out an experiment in which they __3__ participants’ oxygen intake, carbon dioxide output, and heart rates while they were watching horror movies without any distractions. The results revealed that physiological responses to fear play a crucial role
Dos & Don’ts — 想想看,這句話英語該怎麼說? 1. 你覺得這部電影怎樣? ˇ What do you think of the movie? χ How do you like the movie? χ How do you think of the movie? 註︰What do you think of = What is your opinion of。 think 的受詞是 what,不能用 how。 2. 你認為哪一個歌星唱得最好? ˇ Which singer do you think is the best? χ Do you think which singer is the best? 註︰英語中 which singer 似乎是 do you think 的受詞,實則 do you think 是插入語,其他例子如下: 你以為他喜歡誰? Who do you think he likes? 你以為我住在哪裏? Where do you think I live? 你想我昨天在公園裏碰到了誰? Whom/Who do you think I met in the park yesterday? 3. 他不論到什麼地方,總是帶著一把雨傘。 ˇ No matter where he goes, he