4.1.19
Learning through a play has been successfully developed by AFTEC (The Absolutely Fabulous Theatre Connection) in Hong Kong. Their aim is “an arts-based approach for the purpose of positive change for young people beyond the classroom”. In 2018, their Artistic Director Dr Vicki Ooi led the youngsters and directed a play based on an old Chinese Opera “Orphan Zhao”; and gave the inspirational new work a name “The Revenge of Orphan Zhao” : the story is about how an orphan Zhao revenged & killed a corrupt official who murdered his father and yet had brought him up for years since babyhood. Why this disturbing theme? Dr Ooi said in the old days, life was to choose good over evil. Nowadays in our complicated society, youngsters face a choice only between evil and evil, or a smaller evil over a bigger evil. She wanted them to strive to do good despite knowing evil.
Dr Ooi added “ I saw Orphan Zhao as a Beijing opera when I first came to Hong Kong as an undergraduate. Hong Kong was then closed to China but it allowed cultural troupes to enter Hong Kong. I had very little knowledge of Putonghua and even less knowledge of Beijing Opera but I was absolutely riveted to my seat as the actors demonstrated acrobatic skills that I had never seen in my life. That was more than 40 years ago but I still remember how the actor playing the orphan toppled from a standard position 90 degrees to the floor in one single movement as he was told of his real identity”.
The CEO of AFTEC Lynn Yau lamented that in Hong Kong, the “products”, if not productions, of some children theatres out there are just “instant food”. They lack an in-depth concept or a serious approach. “Children and youngsters should not perform purely for joy, pride and glory. The success of our Learning Theatre depends on how much we can feel the kids change after the process & how much positive energy that they have brought to their life as a result”.
For me, art is more than an object or subject for appreciation. It should elicit (1) critical thinking (2) creative thinking & (3) expressive ability from a person.
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