KNOWING that Shenzhen Grand Theater was packed to the rafters for “Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land” early this year and that applause and laughter rang around the theater, Taiwan director Stan Lai has full confidence of a second success with his new play, “Total Women.” His confidence also comes from another reason: Shenzhen has many more women than men, a ready audience for the play.
“Total Women” (or “This Evening, Women Performed Crosstalk”) will be performed on three nights next month. Working with actresses Fang Fang, Aya and Yang Ting, Lai has created an outstanding play that lets women speak for themselves in the traditionally male-dominated field of Chinese stand-up comedy.
“It is 100 percent drama. What we focus on is theater and how to reach viewers’ hearts by the ideas we try to express,” explained Lai during the play’s press conference Tuesday.
As early as 1985, Lai’s Performance Workshop Theater produced the first “Crosstalk” series — “That Evening, We Performed Crosstalk” — and then came “This Evening, Who Will Perform Crosstalk?” (1989), “Another Evening, They Performed Crosstalk” (1997) and “Millennium, We Performed Crosstalk” (2000).
“Total Women” was first staged in Taipei in 2005 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Lai’s Performance Workshop Theater. Starring Fang Fang, Xiao Ai and Deng Chenghui, the show was warmly welcomed by the Taiwan audience.
“The play was composed of six acts including monologue, crosstalk and group talk, which work for one theme — women’s equal rights, love and careers,” said Lai. “Here, we also try to explain why women wear makeup, why they try to lose weight? We talk about women’s feelings, making people laugh while they shed their tears.”
The play begins with Betty and Annie hosting a gala event for a women’s products company called Total Women. They wait for an old woman, reportedly a master of crosstalk, a comedic art form that never had female practitioners. The old woman doesn’t show up. “She’s dead,” claims her granddaughter Funny, who has come in her stead. The show must go on so Funny performs instead of her grandmother.
For Lai, three women in a crosstalk play is unique. Traditionally there is a pair of actors. But in “Total Women,” audiences see a diversity of women’s images on stage and a modern female-voiced version of the traditional art.
Lai’s previous hit shows all premiered in Beijing or Shanghai. But this time, Lai has chosen Shenzhen for the mainland premiere. He said: “Shenzhen and Taipei have a lot in common. Shenzhen is an immigrant city, just like Taipei was in its early years. Besides, Shenzheners’ taste for culture is good.”
Zheng Weiqian, manager of Shenzhen Performance Company, said all that matters is that Shenzhen has more women than men. “Facing the burden of jobs, lives and emotions, Shenzhen women need a female drama to reflect their lifestyle.”
Lai added that Shenzhen, a charming city, is full of innovation and new ideas, which is best for developing plays. He also said he was likely to establish a working base here where he can create new works.
After three performances in Shenzhen, the show will be staged in Guangzhou, Zhuhai, Nanjing, Beijing and Shanghai. In December this year, it will also be performed in Los Angeles and Las Vegas in the United States.(Zhong Li)
▲ Fang Fang
A large part of the credit should go to actress Fang Fang, whose solid vocal performances and her versatility — including opera-singing — have reestablished her as Taiwan’s top female comedian. In “Total Women,” Fang is the versatile entertainer, an old lady, a middle-aged divorced woman and a naive girl. The diversity of her images further enriches the comedy experience.
▲ Aya
“Total Women” is a text and language heavy play that requires good putonghua. As a longtime TV host, Aya was chosen for the contribution of her sharp tongue and eloquence, said Stan Lai.
▼ Yang Ting
Director Stan Lai said Yang possesses a strong personal performance style and a talent for improvisation. The Beijing drama actress is not only active on stage but also a prolifi c drama director.
