Thespians relish oral history roles

The theatre reflects life in Sham Shui Po in the 1950s. Ms Wong had the role of her younger self. She recalled the time she gave her son 50 cents to buy a bag of rice. He tossed it like a ball until it fell and broke open, scattering the contents across the dirt, leaving him in tears as the family did not have money for another one.
 
Fortunately, that story had a happy ending.
 
"The grocery store owner understood our situation and delivered a new bag of rice to our home," Ms Wong said.
 
The seniors’ troupe tells of how difficult life was at that time. On Christmas Day in 1953, a huge fire ravaged squatter huts in Shek Kip Mei, leaving about 58,000 people homeless. The Government responded by building the Shek Kip Mei Estate, Hong Kong’s first public housing project.
 
With dramatic backdrops, the group confidently presents a montage of memories: learning in a rooftop primary school; working in a garment factory; living in a harmonious neighbourhood.
 
Convincing portrayals
Actors Leung Wing Leung, 71, and Leung Kai Che, 70, took on the roles of childhood buddies, to dramatise a scene from their lives. The pair had high praise for Wong Chun Fai, the director who worked their boyhood memories into the oral history script.
 
The oldest of the theatre company’s 20-plus members is 93-year-old Wong So Chun. She has earned the nickname “young girl” as she revels in acting and is full of energy. Her hearing is impaired, so she cannot always hear her partners’ lines, but the other troupe members are patient and understanding.
 
Director Wong has these qualities himself, in abundance. He has spent much time and effort training these seniors over the past two years.
 
“They do not have good short-term memory, so once they memorise something, it is difficult to ask them to change it. I need to think twice when I develop the lines and stage directions,” he said.
 
Virtual reality
In some ways, these senior actors perform better than professionals, Mr Wong believes. They deliver their lines with raw emotions from their own life experiences, giving the audience a sense of reality and conviction.
 
The troupe performed four shows to rave reviews at the Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre earlier this month, and have given six performances at community centres and schools.
 
“I had a sense of mission when I performed for the students. It was very meaningful and educational,” Ann Lam said. The 70-year-old added she happily gave up other activities at the local seniors’ centre to focus on the drama rehearsals.
 
Before joining the project, 82-year-old Chow Mui was shy and lonely, not comfortable talking with strangers. Now, she has developed a sense of belonging, and eagerly looks forward to the next gathering of her newfound theatrical friends.
 
For 65-year-old Louisa Shum, joining the troupe lifted the curtain on another unexpected opportunity. Renowned local director Ann Hui dropped by their rehearsal, scouting for extras for her movie, A Simple Life. Ms Shum landed a small role in what was to become another award-winning film. She enthusiastically shares anecdotes of her “work experience” with movie stars Andy Lau and Deanie Ip.
 
Now in its second year, the Sham Shui Po District Community Oral History Theatre Project is presented by the Leisure & Cultural Services Department in collaboration with Chung Ying Theatre Company, the Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council and The Hong Kong Society for the Aged.
 
The department’s Assistant Director Winsome Chow was satisfied to see these seniors embrace the opportunity to recount their own life stories onstage to appreciative audiences.
 
“This gives them a new driving force,” Ms Chow said.
 
The project has recently been extended to Kwun Tong where she anticipates more seniors will step forward to dramatise the stories of their lives.