Bastille's Story: With Consummate Cantonese Opera Performance Skills, Loong Koon-tin has brought Trump to Life on Stage

Every Chinese New Year, the innovative Cantonese opera Trump on Show debuts. Loong Koon-tin, a well-known local Cantonese opera actor who plays Trump in the play, has incorporated his years of experience in stage and television drama performances into his interpretation of the role "Trump".

Loong Koon-tin, a well-known local Cantonese opera actor who plays Trump in the play, has incorporated his years of experience in stage and television drama performances into his interpretation of the role "Trump". Photo source: offered by Loong Koon-tin

In the interview with Bastille Post, when asked about how to embody the character and delve into the interpretation methods of bringing Trump to life on stage, Loong Koon-tin mentioned that since Donald Trump likes to make exaggerated gestures normally, he would specially combine these highly recognizable body features with the traditional performance movements of Cantonese opera to allow audience to appreciate the vivid portrayal of the characters up close and perceive the inclusiveness of Cantonese opera towards modern performance elements.

Offering Audience with Innovative Performance by Combining Hot News with Traditional Cantonese Opera

“(The Cantonese opera Trump on Show) is still performed via our traditional Cantonese opera performance style. Nevertheless, we would contain innovative elements. We would keep changing the content according to the current hot news to attract the Gen Z audience, making them wonder: How will you perform the current affairs on stage?” said Loong Koon-tin.

Loong Koon-tin stated that during his process of brainstorming the script, he hoped to attract more audiences, especially the young generation, to enhance their interest in Cantonese opera performances by incorporating the element of "social hot spots", namely, the daily issues concerned by the masses.

"Current Affairs Cantonese Opera" has triggered widespread discussion since the premiere of Trump on Show in 2019. Led by the playwright Mr. Li Kui Ming, the production team of the play would keep abreast of the changing international issues in time to ensure the plot's freshness. Loong Koon-tin said that the script of Trump on Show would never remain unchanged, but would be adjusted and supplemented according to the global current events. Like the news of the arrest of the Venezuelan President, Nicolás Maduro, a while ago, the team immediately began to conceive of how to integrate it into the plot as soon as they heard about it, aiming to enable the ever-changing global current affairs to be performed via the singing and performance skills of Cantonese opera.

By Playing Diverse Roles, Loong Koon-tin Strives to Spread the Charm of Cantonese Opera to a Wider Audience

Loong Koon-tin has played the role of Donald Trump and other major characters in Trump on Show from its initial version until the present 4.0 version. For the performance this year, he would not only act the roles of Mao Zedong and Donald Trump, but also Nicolás Maduro and the fictional Trump's twin brother. Four roles for him to act vividly on stage at the same time.

In Loong Koon-tin's eyes, innovation is an indispensable driving force for the inheritance and development of Cantonese opera in the contemporary situation. "There must be innovation! Innovation plus tradition inheritance would be the key elements for retaining the audience and leading young people to learn about the glamour of traditional art." He thought that, if we still set in our ways of performing Cantonese opera, such a traditional art form would only dissipate in the wave of the times under the challenge of increasingly diverse aesthetic views.

Besides innovative Cantonese opera performance, Loong Koon-tin would perform in traditional Cantonese opera, Sun Kung Hei, which is performed for the deities. On the site of the "Kam Tin Thanksgiving Celebration Carnival", he was the leading civil and martial actor in the performance of Sun Kung Hei. In Loong Koon-tin's view, the Cantonese Opera for Deities is a precious stage for young Cantonese opera actors to improve their performance skills. He mentioned that young actors have little experience when they first enter the industry and are prone to making mistakes. "If people buy tickets to see them at a professional performance in the theater, once the young actors make mistakes or do something wrong on the stage, the audience will regard them as unqualified performers, making them lose opportunities to accumulate acting experience and inherit the Cantonese opera performance."

Loong Koon-tin has brought Trump to life on stage via his superb acting skills. Photo source: offered by Loong Koon-tin

The Cantonese Opera for Deities is a Precious Platform for the Inheritance of Traditional Culture

Since the audience of the Cantonese Opera for Deities is mostly the neighbors and fellow villagers who come to repay their vows and show gratitude to the deities, they tend to have a more tolerant and supportive attitude towards the actors' performance. Consequently, the young actors can interact with the audience in a more relaxed state and gradually build up their stage confidence. In addition, most of the performances for Cantonese Opera for Deities are staged for consecutive days, letting young actors have opportunities to accumulate experience and constantly adjust in subsequent performances to improve their performance level.

Besides innovative Cantonese opera performance, Loong Koon-tin would perform in traditional Cantonese opera, Sun Kung Hei, which is performed for the deities. Photo by Bastille Post

Moreover, Loong Koon-tin also hoped that the Cantonese opera industry could have more opportunities to build communication and collaboration with bamboo theatre scaffolders, making the two sides "join hands" together to preserve the culture of Cantonese Opera for Deities.

When tracing back to his previous experience of starting Cantonese opera performance, Loong Koon-tin recalled that he resolutely gave up his stable job as a bank clerk and was willing to endure the arduous experience of wearing heavy costumes and wigs that would strain his head. In his eyes, all the hard work for inheriting the culture of Cantonese opera is worthwhile. Through countless rehearsals and performances, he insisted on constantly elevating acting standards and conveying his deep love for Cantonese opera to the audience through every performance opportunity. "You must truly love the things you stick to, so that you can enjoy yourself no matter how hard the dream-chasing journey would be," he said.

The Cantonese Opera for Deities is a precious platform for the inheritance of traditional culture. Photo by Bastille Post

Loong Koon-tin, Photo source: offered by Loong Koon-tin

Mr. Chan Kam To, an inheritor of Hong Kong's intangible cultural heritage - hand puppet Cantonese opera and the troupe leader of the "Waa Saan Traditional Puppet Cantonese Opera Troupe", passed away on the afternoon of January 31st at the age of 77. He dedicated over 60 years to promoting the inheritance of hand puppet Cantonese opera, making his passing a great loss to the local opera circles.

Mr. Chan Kam To, Photo source: Shot and shared by Mr. Choi Kai Kwong, a researcher of bamboo theatre culture in Hong Kong

In his early years, Mr. Chan once gave up a public servant position to devote himself to puppetry performances. Mastering puppet manipulation, singing, instrumental playing, scriptwriting, and composition, he gathered like-minded enthusiasts who were also passionate about puppet Cantonese opera to establish the "Waa Saan Traditional Puppet Cantonese Opera Troupe", the only remaining hand puppet Cantonese opera troupe in Hong Kong, presenting numerous captivating performances to audiences over the years.

Mr. Chan Kam To in his youth, Photo source: Screenshot of the cover of the book ℎ ℎ , released by Lei Yue Mun Plus

With the rapid social development and changing entertainment trends, the market of hand puppet Cantonese opera has shrunk, decreasing performance opportunities for the troupe. Nevertheless, the troupe members would still cherish each performance, dedicating themselves to providing a high-quality watching experience to the audience and upholding the inheritance of traditional culture. Up to now, most members of the troupe are over 70 years old, posing great challenges to the troupe's future development and the continuation of puppet Cantonese opera.

The cover of the book edited and authored by Mr. Chan Kam To

Mr. Chan Kam To introduced the culture of hand puppet Cantonese opera at a public lecture. Photo source: Shot and shared by Mr. Choi Kai Kwong, a researcher of bamboo theatre culture in Hong Kong

Edited and authored the book Guangdong Handheld Puppet Opera - An Abandoned Heritage of the Cantonese Artistic Family, Mr. Chan aimed to record this traditional art form, which is now on the verge of extinction. In the interview with Bastille Post at the Kam Tin Ten-Yearly Thanksgiving Festival in December last year, he said that he hoped "he could do his best to pass on this traditional art." As for his passing, it highlights the dilemma of inheriting the traditional culture in Hong Kong nowadays: "The art will exist while the artist is still alive, but it will extinct when the artist dies."

Mr. Chan Kam To (fifth from the left, front row) and the troupe members, Photo by Bastille Post

As for the details of the interview with Mr. Chan Kam To, please refer to the link: https://www.bastillepost.com/global/article/5472973-bastilles-in-depth-report-sticking-to-the-dream-of-inheriting-traditional-hand-puppet-cantonese-opera-culture-in-modern-times