May 1, 2007
Few titles could be as enigmatic and poetic as Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land. But this quietly promoted, easy to overlook production is as intriguing as it sounds – and more fun.
Two plays simultaneously book the same theatre. One, Secret Love, is a modern tragedy about an old man’s reminiscence over a long-lost love while the second, Peach Blossom Land is a broad comedy about a cuckolded man who finds his way into the fabled utopia of Peach Blossom Land. But as the two productions bustle for control of the stage, the plays’ themes interweave.
As bawdy as Chaucer, and as touching as Rattigan, Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land is an unusual experience. All credit to Oxford University Chinese Drama Society for staging it – in Mandarin with English surtitles – with a gung ho bravado that carries the day. The tiny Burton Taylor theatre is an ideal location, lending a believable edge to the raggedy scene changes between the rival plays.
But the OUCDS fill the space with a riot of colour, costume and character. It’s invidious to pick out names from such a faultless cast. But Xiechao Gui, as the hapless husband who finds utopia, gives a dynamic performance in a demanding role. Acting honours, though, go to Xiaoyang You as Zhifan, the girl who’s loved and lost in Secret Love: rarely can anyone this young have given such a thoroughly convincing performance of an old lady – finely honed and sweetly done.
The comic timing is first class (keep your eye on the wonderful sleight-of-hand behind the blanket) and the sets are inventive (the river and unravelling forest are great). Together they help you forgive any blips. The surtitles are to the side, which is distracting but okay: but a key scene is spoiled by the actors standing right in front of the screen, causing much futile head-dodging from the audience. Hopefully they can step a few yards to the side over the next few nights.
First created in 1986 by Stan Lai’s Taiwanese Performance Workshop, Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land has garnered acclaim in China and across the world. Now it’s Oxford’s turn. Sinophiles may spot the references to Peking Opera acting. Lai’s play also riffs on classic Chinese texts, including the age-old poem Peach Blossom Spring about a utopian land which, when left, can never be found again.
OUCDS’s production isn’t always coherent for non-Chinese audience members. But the themes of love, loss and the longing for a perfect, peach-blossom world are recognizable enough. Quibbles aside this is a refreshing encounter with Chinese themes and culture, one of OUCDS’s stated aims.
Funny and touching, Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land is a unique opportunity to catch a classic Chinese play performed by a vibrant young cast giving it their all.
Two plays simultaneously book the same theatre. One, Secret Love, is a modern tragedy about an old man’s reminiscence over a long-lost love while the second, Peach Blossom Land is a broad comedy about a cuckolded man who finds his way into the fabled utopia of Peach Blossom Land. But as the two productions bustle for control of the stage, the plays’ themes interweave.
As bawdy as Chaucer, and as touching as Rattigan, Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land is an unusual experience. All credit to Oxford University Chinese Drama Society for staging it – in Mandarin with English surtitles – with a gung ho bravado that carries the day. The tiny Burton Taylor theatre is an ideal location, lending a believable edge to the raggedy scene changes between the rival plays.
But the OUCDS fill the space with a riot of colour, costume and character. It’s invidious to pick out names from such a faultless cast. But Xiechao Gui, as the hapless husband who finds utopia, gives a dynamic performance in a demanding role. Acting honours, though, go to Xiaoyang You as Zhifan, the girl who’s loved and lost in Secret Love: rarely can anyone this young have given such a thoroughly convincing performance of an old lady – finely honed and sweetly done.
The comic timing is first class (keep your eye on the wonderful sleight-of-hand behind the blanket) and the sets are inventive (the river and unravelling forest are great). Together they help you forgive any blips. The surtitles are to the side, which is distracting but okay: but a key scene is spoiled by the actors standing right in front of the screen, causing much futile head-dodging from the audience. Hopefully they can step a few yards to the side over the next few nights.
First created in 1986 by Stan Lai’s Taiwanese Performance Workshop, Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land has garnered acclaim in China and across the world. Now it’s Oxford’s turn. Sinophiles may spot the references to Peking Opera acting. Lai’s play also riffs on classic Chinese texts, including the age-old poem Peach Blossom Spring about a utopian land which, when left, can never be found again.
OUCDS’s production isn’t always coherent for non-Chinese audience members. But the themes of love, loss and the longing for a perfect, peach-blossom world are recognizable enough. Quibbles aside this is a refreshing encounter with Chinese themes and culture, one of OUCDS’s stated aims.
Funny and touching, Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land is a unique opportunity to catch a classic Chinese play performed by a vibrant young cast giving it their all.