2013年10月9日星期三

32. 小鳥。愛情山手線。魔鬼契約。莫札特之死



小鳥



很喜歡余翰廷這劇本,最吸引的是母女persona的對調,他在一個電台節目*中形容這個戲為「悲喜劇」,其實還不止此。在幽默大膽而不落俗套的笑位,和衷心感人的片斷之外,還有引發人反思的問題,例如Jen和潮叔的一段對話裏面提到人生該是平淡安渡還是熾熱燃燒?也有日常生活化的通識元素,例如金城武和北野武,此武不同彼武 (personally, I think Kitano is also kind of cute).



自《紅男綠女開始,廖淑芬可能是這十來年我看得最多 (和最欣賞) 的女演員,其中一個原因是赫墾坊年代,以後她和各大劇團合作,亦屢有佳作,「劇場工作室」的作品卻錯過了幾齣,包括今次重演的《小鳥》。上一次看見她卻不是在舞台上,而是葵青劇院的大堂,她是觀眾身份,和幾個年青後輩等待入場看潮叔演科學怪人,which brings me to……曾說過陳文剛的聲音差不多〝化灰都認得〞(網誌no. 30),他份演角色的幅度怎大,潮叔這獲獎的演出叫人耳目一新,這一新其實應是六年前了,只可惜當時走了寶,今次八月的「陳七」,定必不會錯過。至於他和岑偉宗合作填詞的《夢斷維港》,是他多材多藝的好例子。



朱仲暐的戲只看過一次,是《無動機殺人犯》的「小女孩」,演得很好 (網誌 no. 29)Apple Jam這角色,首演時是朱鳳嫻,她的戲看了不算多但也不太少,代表作《援交》欣賞過,雖然錯過了《小鳥》首演,但也可想像她的演法,今次看朱仲暐,只直覺雙的演繹,可能頗為相似。半年前看《山村老師》時《小鳥》的宣傳資料中,Apple casting 是黃呈欣,如今換了朱仲暐,我認為更佳。就單看朱的咬字發音的準確和黄的仍在努力改正懶音,已見其分別。朱仲暐清脆而字正腔圓的台詞,快慢皆宜,同輩只有「中英」的王曉怡可以相比 (網誌 no. 27)



扯開一點順帶一提,除了上面的例子外,HKRT 上一劇季的宣傳劇目冊子中,《不起床的愛麗思》主角的劇照是陳安然,大半年後演出時已換了陳煦莉,這種換角情况,可能是反映「演藝」的栽培下,人材日盛,而另一方面劇團和制作也如春後春荀,結果演員和劇團雙方面靈活性都大了,這未嘗不是好事。

回正題,小鳥》重演還有兩位演員,在這劇中有很重要的平衡作用,盧富泰的演出看過幾次,其中以《山村老師》印象最深 (網誌 no. 28),何敏儀場刊中介紹的演出,記憶中沒有看過。但每次認識多一位好演員,都是快事。



七月較忙,下一次觀劇,應該己是數星期後「影話戲」的《愛惰山手線。然後便進入HKRP 和「中英」的新劇季了!當然還有其他劇團的好戲連場。



* 該節目是半途出家,談書轉型為談劇,可惜主持人對本港的話劇似乎太熟悉,因而節目的發揮,討論的技巧和深度,比起RTHK的「演藝風流」,「打開天窗甘國亮」,甚至只是偶有談劇的「思潮作動」,都有一段距離,雖如此,余翰廷和廖淑芬在這節目中仍能夠帶給聽眾對《小鳥》更深的了解,例如對Pill 這角色後來的安排等等。



愛情山手線



這東洋氣息的劇名很別致,初看還以為是像《夜行動物》一樣譯自日本原作。後來弄清楚,是年青編劇何綺微得獎的《你和我》演化而成。 新改的劇名中,繁忙的山手線,不知是否借來代表時下人人掛在咀邊的「路線圖」。



Time Out的訪問推介說:

In fact, five year’s worth of story has been subsequently added to the play so that the characters’ complicated relationship can be resolved smoothly. “The ending was abrupt in the original version,” says Lo (羅靜雯導演), who admits she doesn’t empathize with the younger mentality towards love portrayed in the plays. “But the little details depicting everyday life, and the characters going through highs and lows, mad it relatable for me.”



場刊中「導演的話」亦提到「歴時幾近三年……收集了各方友好,觀眾和劇評人的意見,不斷修改」。兩句多鐘的演出,全憑兩位演員擔當,談何容易?觀劇時已立刻想起「糊塗戲班」的《情信》(網誌 no.26),觀後細讀場刊,亦見到打造這劇時有參考Gurney 《情書》(即《情信》的原著)。但本劇演出時間比《情信》還長了三份一有多,亦沒有現場鋼琴伴奏,而能吸引着觀眾,越看越投入,其內容豐富,是主要原因之一。



雖然開宗名義是說「愛情」,但這戲也可以從 coming of age 的角度欣賞。十五年長,大時代的轉變和個人的種種經歴,對這兩個主角由中學生走到中女〝中男〞的路程,有什麼影響?兩人的理想,抱負,人生觀,價值觀能否保存?純真失落了嗎?

另一角度,是香港自94/95至今的回顧,這也剛巧是我回流後的十五年,所以特別投入。以主角的經歴反映大時代的變遷,經典自是 Same time next year (1975 百老匯舞台劇,1978荷李活電影,而本地化改編的《年年有今日》,更有1994 梁家輝和袁詠儀的電影和 2000 盧俊豪和劉雅麗的舞台劇)。看着台上方子誠和藍奕珊的故事,這十五年來香港的大事也一幕幕重現,彷彿是《年年有今日》的延續編。



就是主題「愛情」,這也不是正統的愛情故事,而是When Harry met Sally (1989) 式的友情和愛情之間若有若無的那一線的描繪。開始是他常拍着她的頭當她是小妹妹,然後是死黨「好兄弟」,到彼此的感情變得糢糊,幻得幻失,若即若離,觀眾最大的問題,可能是謝師宴後他明顯不過地示愛,為什麼她不接受?

鄭嘉俊和郭靜雯的合作,《南北和》(網誌 no.26)中欣賞過,只是該劇重心在搞笑的上一代,所以對兩位年青演員印象反不太深。今次喜見兩人的chemistry把這戲的味道充份發揮。分開來說,鄭嘉俊在以往網誌中提過不少,本劇給他較大發揮的機會,繃繃跳跳的大孩子的活潑,和「男人三十」開始有的篬桑感,有很好的對比。郭靜雯亦然,演學生妹尤其神似,中女的型像,卻有點蘇玉華的影子。



流暢的節奏,過場的處理 (尤其是錄像的「手談」的別具心思) 都有助從始至終的吸引着觀眾。有感而發:我們聽鍾偉明「大哥」播音劇長大的一群對粵語發音的執着,也許不是科網一代能有共鳴。時下扭開電台,聽DJ甚至學術文化界的知名人士的粵語發音,真有點「想嘔,想去自殺」(《日出》裏的面首胡四對見到老來嬌顧八奶奶的感受),劇壇中較資深的 (例如《我和春天有個的會》年代) 的仍中流砥柱,再後期的,雖未至於有明顯懶音,但真正字正腔圓的diction已日少,因此看 () 到如王曉怡和朱仲暐等演員,更覺難能可貴。



魔鬼契約



香港話劇團為香港劇運的「旗艦」,是圈中人的共識 (參聽回應中的《演藝風流》連結)。《魔鬼契約》這一齣新劇季的頭炮”(五月的《偷錯情》重演可看作劇季的序曲),確有「旗艦」的風範。劇本是陳敢權總監不遺餘力資料搜    集後的精心泡製;演員除了休假中的,差不多全部參與;第二幕開始時加上一場伍宇烈編排的大型歐洲古典舞;舞台特技採用了科學尖端的「全息」 (hologram) 立體投射技術,巧妙地安排和從舞台下升上的真身重叠,天衣無縫;其他如佈景,配樂,音響,燈光,服裝,道具,化裝,均是「旗艦」水準。



場刊中「導演的話」,值得細讀。這齣劇的娛樂性和啟發性之間有很好的平衡,「浮士德」有些古本,「道德劇」的老調實在是不及時宜,陳敢權的re-imagined版本對聖經的神聖不可侵犯提出頗大瞻的疑問,但也沒有學術性到Francis Collins-Richard Dawson激辯*的認真程度,只用角色的對白使觀眾欣賞故事之餘,亦有一個思考的空間,恰到好處。



本劇威力無窮的雙「良」合壁,對香港的廣大觀眾來說,叫座皇牌自然是萬梓良,但香港話劇團的長期觀眾,注意力的焦點應該仍是潘燦良。他美國經歴回來後**,形容為脫胎換骨是太誇張,但也在演出中見到多元化的表現,例如最近的《2029追殺1989》中屬於較綠葉性質的角色「倪基錦」,亦備受讚賞。今次奧斯卡份量的主角角色,更是一個里程碑。最懾人的一出場時的老年浮士德,充滿信心的停頓,形體,未說一句對白,已使觀眾怦息靜氣,反而後來重獲青春後,雖然演得精彩,但壓場感己略減。萬梓良的默菲斯特,技術上無懈可擊,我個人的口味卻是想見到一個更較陰暗的演繹,但這未必是導演和演員的意向。



其他演員,如上說精銳盡出,而戲份也或多或少,難以盡錄。其中黃慧HKRT從新人成為中堅份子,不經不覺已十年,本劇中演村姑清純可喜,這類型角色,相信還「有排做」。王維因天賦的身材()及聲線(),演較誇張的角色特別突出,本劇中的威廉二世亦然。高翰文和辛偉強自十多年前《城寨風情》已對着幹,今演交替對調的黑白天使,看時覺得似乎随時會爆出一句「對抗命運,但我永不怕捱……」。而「七宗罪」更是各自精彩,雖然驚鴻一瞥,已看得觀眾眉飛色舞!

說到底,這劇的中心是浮士德,跟着他有點Odyssey式的歴程,上半場有些蕭伯納在舞台上暢論哲學的味道,下半場開始時則較近似melodrama,終結時觀眾再次反思一個問題:浮士德的原動力,是否就是來自對天下萬物的好奇心和求知慾這麽簡單?最後一招「首尾相應」,浮士德終於見到的,跟默菲斯特一樣,亦是一個面無表情的造物主,浮士德真的變了另一個默菲斯特嗎?這大概是一部份觀眾離場時腦海中的問題。



在香港文化中心大劇院欣賞話劇的次數不多,比看香港電影節節目就已少得多了,最近數次却都是音樂制作如歌劇,gala等。舞台劇劇團能有足夠觀眾「撐」的起大劇院演出的只怕就是「旗艦」只此一家。翻查記錄,上次已是零八年的《這一夜 Women 說相聲》,再回顧己是零三年的《甜甜酸酸香港地》。今次在這場地卻第一次喜聽到如下宣佈:「請關掉一切響鬧及發光裝置」,差點要跳起來鼓掌。About time!人的自私,往往蓋過了 common sense。觀眾難道真的愚昧得知道自己的什麼什麼「GG四」屏幕的光度,有時比舞台射燈更強?當然知!只是自私地扮不知罷了。



* Francis Collins Richard Dawson的激辯連結:


** 潘燦良專訪連結:




莫札特之死


The Peter Shaffer penned 8-Oscar film “Amadeus” (1984), from which 莫札特之死has been adapted, is so overpowering that I am compelled to mention it first. One scene therein in particular I would, using 古龍s favorite style of emphatic description, rank among the top three scenes I ever watched in any film in over half a century of film watching. It takes place at the end when Mozart, on his death bed, with inspiration bursting like a tsunami in his mind, erupts in musical language with the scores of his immortal Requiem, as Salieri struggles feverishly to transcribe them on paper. This one scene is the climatic accentuation of the film’s theme: the hopelessly wide gulf between Mozart’s talent and Salieri’s mediocrity. This scene wasn’t adapted in 莫札特之死 but I was not disappointed because while it works splendidly on screen, it’s difficult, if not entirely impossible, to have the same effect on stage, particularly for a translated script. Even without this scene, 莫札特之死 is a wonderful production.

The entire ensemble deserves compliment. To me, they can be categorized as “familiar” (albeit with different degrees) and “seen before” such as
冼振東in《喜尾注》(劇協),宋本浩in《風流劍客》(中英) and 馬詩雅in《四千金》(劇場工作室)


朱仲暐
was seen most recently in小鳥》。 Constanze Mozart is not quite a key character although she has an important role to play. With each scene she appeared in, 朱仲暐 deftly revealed successive layers of the character Constanze, adding texture and depth as she went along. With her clear, bell-like timbre, she demonstrated once again the height of the beauty to which diction in Cantonese can soar, even with the most rapid-fire, emotion-laden lines.


鄭嘉俊,
seen even more recently (and right here at the JCCAC Black Box in愛情山手線》), gave such a powerful performance as never witnessed before in the numerous times I’ve watched him, against a hopelessly formidable comparison with Oscar winning F. Murray Abraham. But he came through, and delivered. Overheard at intermission, from a well-respected stage veteran I spotted in the audience, is a comment to the effect that he is better than a certain celebrity-status screen personality. I recognize immediately which recent play I’ve seen that he was alluding to. Had I been bolder, I would have approached the gentleman to echo my agreement. 鄭嘉俊started out a little minimalistic, compared with the Abraham’s nerve-wrecking, bloody (literally speaking) opening scene in the movie. But as the play unfolded, 鄭嘉俊 made the character of Salieri grow on you until in the concluding scene, you are completely convinced that he was the desolate, half-insane old man sitting in the wheelchair with tons of remorse.


陳仕文
in the “seen before” category from點點隔世情》(劇場空間) , was a delightful surprise. Before going to莫札特之死 I was somewhat skeptical if any one can render Tom Hulce’s sparkling interpretation of Mozart in a translated stage version. 陳仕文not only accomplished this, but also effortlessly. His Mozart makes everything about    鄭嘉俊’s Salieri believable, and the two of them together have done full justice to Peter Shaffer’s superb script, ably adapted and translated by梁永能.


I do not apologize for the repeated comparison with the film, even thought the comparison may not be totally valid with the difference in media (screen vs stage) and language (Chinese vs English). I do urge anyone who have not experienced the film to see it (DVDs should be easy to find as this is such a classic), if only just for the concluding scene I describe.

While this play takes the form of a first-person narration from Salieri’s POV and he has the lion’s share of stage time, Mozart features just as prominently because Mozart inhabits Salieri mind but not vice versa. As well, lovers of Mozart’s opera are treated to a small sample of his divine music. Cherubino’s march is first heard in Act I at Mozart’s initial entry, as his magical transformation of a dull march written by Salieri to welcome him. In Act II, it takes up its right place during a rehearsal of The Marriage of Figaro, recognized by Salieri in rapture and despair, both. Don Giovanni is represented (several times in the play) by the Statue’s best known four gloomy notes calling out the protagonist’s name. The father-son relationship however is not explored beyond one brief mention of the stormy relationship Mozart had with his father. Unlike in the film, the character Leopold Mozart never appeared in
莫札特之死Finally, while Mozart’s purported use of Freemason rituals in The Magic Flute is a key plot element in 莫札特之死, the piece that is employed from the opera as background music is Papageno’s cheerful song. While on this subject it is interesting to note that opinions varied widely from “evidence is incomplete and to some extent contradictory” to assertion that Masonic symbolism is detected in every compositional detail of the work.

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