Pao School Junior Secondary Drama Club recently presented a production of ‘Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land’!
‘Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land,’ is one of renowned Taiwanese playwright and theatre director Stan Lai’s best known works and has been performed countless times on Chinese soil. The production centres on the story of two drama troupes, one playing the early-modern tragedy ‘Secret Love’ and the other playing the comedy ‘Peach Blossom Land.’ When both troupes are arranged to rehearse at the same time by mistake, a story of conflict follows. ‘Secret Love’ tells the tale of a young couple, Jiang Binliu and Yun Zhifan, who separate due to an ensuing war and flee to Taiwan. They do not meet again until 40 years later, with both married to other people, and Binliu terminally ill. In ‘Peach Blossom Land,’ a comedy set in ancient times, fisherman Laotao discovers his wife Chunhua in an affair with the landlord boss Yuan and leaves, eventually finding himself in Peach Blossom Land.
The Pao School version of the play is an interpretation of four select acts from the original, presented with voice-over narration. Pao School’s talented young actors gave life to Zhifan’s pure innocence, Binliu’s unforgotten love, Laotao’s reminiscence of a happiness lost, Chunhua’s relinquished hope and Yuan’s pursuit of love, bringing audiences on an emotional rollercoaster, shifting between happiness and sadness, laughter and tears.
At the show’s conclusion, students were treated to deservedly sustained applause and cheers. Their performances received acclaim from audiences: ‘It was super funny, but we were all reduced to tears by the end! The students truly brought the characters to life!’ One parent commented: ‘This is the first time I’ve seen students in a Chinese production. It’s really different from an English drama. With Chinese drama, you get this magnificent backdrop of modern China – the unusual combination of circumstances, steadfast allegiance, patience, acceptance of reality, and ability to maintain a spiritual sense of self. Pao School expertly balances Chinese and international elements in everything it does!’
The Chinese have a saying: ‘Newborn calves are not afraid of tigers.’ ‘Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land’ has proven that Pao School’s young actors are not afraid to take on the challenge of reproducing a much-loved yet difficult classic stage play. Even without the star power this play typically commands, Pao School students moved audiences with their own youthful energy, vitality and talent.
