A number of representatives from various media organisations in Macau were given a backstage pass of the theatre production “Deling and Cixi” at Macau Cultural Centre’s (CCM) Grand Auditorium yesterday afternoon, during which they were shown the set, costumes and various other props used in the show that will be held tonight and tomorrow night.
In addition, a press conference was held at CCM right before the backstage visit yesterday, allowing the show’s playwright and executive producer He Jiping, as well as the main cast, to share their own thoughts on the show that was first staged in Hong Kong back in 1998.
He pointed out yesterday that the show highlights the interactions of “western and Chinese” as well as “young and old” points of view as the story unfolds the intimate narratives of the Qing Dynasty court’s private members between Deling, a young girl who grew up in the west, the Empress Dowager Cixi and the constrained Guangxu Emperor.
The playwright added that the combination of “two cultures” in the plot, in particular, was what makes the story attractive, especially among young audiences.
Playing Cixi, Jiang Shan said that despite the show’s set on the Forbidden City, it was not merely about the imperial palace complex located in Beijing.
“It focuses more on the personalities and two different views from two different women … it’s about two different individuals,” Jiang explained in Chinese and translated by an interpreter.
She added that both Deling and Cixi were powerful in their own ways, with the first being an educated woman who had been exposed to many different things overseas and the latter being an empress dowager.
“The challenge is how to show the audience that Cixi is also a normal woman who got emotions too, as well as show her different sides from other versions, not only as a powerful woman but she also wants to be a normal woman,” Jiang stressed.
Lang Ling, who plays Deling, corroborated, “Cixi also wanted to learn about a lot of things [beyond the palace] but was trapped in so many restrictions”, while through Cixi, Deling can know more about Chinese culture.
Meanwhile, the nearly-three-hour show is directed by Roy Szeto and produced by Li Dong and Ga Zi, while Xiao Yuliang plays the Guangxu Emperor.
The “Deling and Cixi” show is part of the 35th Macao Arts Festival (MAF) organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC). For ticketing and more information about the show visit MAF’s website or contact 2840 0555. (Gilbert Humphrey)
Photos: Good News Macau/Gilbert Humphrey
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