MCM College: “Butterfly Lovers: Endless Regrets” Drama Appreciation
 
 
 In order to preserve the core value of Chinese nation and cultivate students’ ability to appreciate drama, the resident fellow of Moon Chun Memorial College took 50 students to the University Hall to appreciate the "Butterfly Lovers: Endless Regrets" drama on the evening of 26 February 2021, which was sponsored by UM Development Foundation. This performance was organised by the Frost Ice Snow Creative Experimental Theatre and the Drama Society of UMSU. The play is based on the classic Chinese folk tale "Liang Shangbo and Zhu Yingtai" as a blueprint for adaptation and new creation, it derives the traditional virtue of "Holding Together with Courtesy", and explores the Chinese’s traditional concept of love from the perspective of contemporary youth. The play combines drama, dance, Chinese and Western music performance, a cappella, Chinese opera and other art forms, so that more young people can appreciate and understand the national value and quality of oneself. After the performance, the organiser held a post-show sharing session especially for MCMers, giving them an opportunity to interact with the director and actors and share their thoughts. Here are some thoughts from the participants:
"This is a feast to cleanse the soul, regaining people’s memories of the persistence and pursuit of pure love. On a small stage, the director used yarn screens and simple props to present the road, the school, the temple, and the mansion, giving the audience a feeling of being on the scene. The stage props and the costumes of the actors contain traditional Chinese elements, the beautiful lines, classic music as well as the actor’s affectionate performance allowed the audience to feel the pure and deep friendship between the lovers, my tears couldn't help falling." – Jenny Zhu
"The experience of watching the drama was really great. The stage performances were excellent, the actors' acting skills were superb, the lines were fluent, and the music was just right, such as Chinese and Western music accompaniment was interspersed in the storyline, and there were also a lot of modern pop songs. The part of a cappella fully reflected the singing skills of the performers, combining the animated poems on the stage and the projection of watercolor paintings to enhance the appreciators’ engagement.” – Ace Jin
"This is a traditional drama. It was performed on the Lantern Festival night, what a wonderful experience it was. The actors on the stage had really excellent acting skills. Not only I was deeply attracted, but even the students around me commented that the actors instilled within them a strong sense compassion for their sufferings. Although the final ending was a bit sad, the teachers and students who watched the performance were deeply moved. This play reflects the inheritance and development of classics by young people in the new era. For example, Chinese opera was added to the play, making it easier for young people to accept and appreciate it. I believe that after watching the performance, more UM students have a deeper understanding of drama. I think this drama appreciation activity was very meaningful ." – Emily Li
"I have known ‘Butterfly Lovers’ story in textbooks and books since I was a child. As one of the treasures of Chinese culture, we can say that we are familiar with it. Therefore, it takes courage and ability to adapt this love tragedy. In this play, I was very surprised and pleased to see that the production team added a lot of modern elements to the classic story, making this classic story glow with new vitality. During the performance, I was deeply moved by the twists and turns of the story and the wonderful performance of the actors." – Happy Lan |