Conformists
Conformists Double Spring Studio Theatre Cultural Centre November 11-15 Directed by Philip Kwok, the style of Conformist's Double Spring was heavily influenced by films and Chinese opera. The plot borrowed extensively from the Cantonese kung-fu genre of the 1970s and 80s.
Themes like kung fu masters' rivalry, apprentices avenging their parents' death and heathens practising strange rites are all familiar to the viewer of Cantonese films. The only difference this time was the gay and lesbian thread running through the fabric of the play.
This could have been hilarious as the allusion to retro Cantonese films of this genre was itself camp enough. But the director was torn between portraying a romantic love story and bringing the house down with camp repartee.
The story kicked off (so to speak) with one kung fu master trying to save a mountain boy whose private parts had been bitten by a poisonous snake. To save the boy he sucked out the poison.
This comical start turned into a full-blown, over-sentimental love story and the play's tempo was greatly affected by the conflict between text and subtext.
Chan Ching-man was given a chance to demonstrate her skills in manipulating weapons - a scene common enough in Peking opera but unusual in a play - which amounted to a brave attempt she just about managed to carry off.
The female actors stole the comic limelight from their male counterparts. The delivery of some of the male actors was too emotionally monotonous.
The two-dimensional naturalistic setting again mirrored Chinese opera. Costumes were extravagant and dazzling. The use of Chinese poems projected on a screen was original but sometimes too mushy to be effective.
Double Spring abandoned the gay social messages of the Conformists' previous play while retaining the same sentimentality: the outcome was more self-indulgent this time round, and with less bite.
