Cool Shirt ~ ha ha

HOW COLD IS TAIWAN ?

LET THE MONKEYS DO THE TALKING.

COLD~

人住的地方叫房子

有爱人的地方叫家

If i say you are a pig, i am insulting the pig that i am referring to.

Pigs are better than you! oink~

enough said. period. piss off!

Dear Ocean, erm, may i know who are you ? ha ha

尴尬的一天，情绪莫名的差劲！

回来的时候，一直反复听着这首歌，一边把过去的记忆，一篇一篇的删除掉。

有点煎熬，却又有点骄傲。

注意陶子与杨宗伟在唱完歌的对话，那是我的“再现”吗？

还是我才是那“再现”的“再现”？

是否有点相似，但又不全然一样。

只好把这首歌，送给心爱的自己。

X年前的这一天，我曾经心中有爱，

但那爱，却冻结在对某人的失望与唾弃里，

好像藏着一个疼痛的伤口，

却又反讽的在伤口中得到解脱，

甚至升华。

看清某人的懦弱，微笑接受背叛的悲哀，

或许这正是我成长岁月里的最好见证。

15.12.200x

Edward Lam’s What is Man? – The Tragedy of Modern Man

Director Edward Lam directing a modern version of The Water Margin? Needless to say, the result is not a traditional folk tale, but a modern play with a humanistic, 21st century approach.

Born in Hong Kong, Edward is a founding member of avant-garde theatre group Zuni Icosahedron as well as the Artistic Director of Edward Lam Dance Theatre. With a portfolio of more than 40 productions, Edward is an iconic figure in the Hong Kong theatre scene.

An approach he often adopts in his work is the setting of modern storylines and mindsets within the framework of classical novels. For example, while Madame Bovary is Me is an adaptation of Gustave Flaubert’s novel, it depicts the sorrow and joy of women in the upper echelons of a consumerist society. Similarly, What is Man? borrows from a Chinese classic, The Water Margin, in its exploration of the concept of the hero in modern man.

The Influence of The Lord of the Rings and Andy Lau
What is Man? is part of a project by Edward Lam in which he reinvents the four great Chinese literary classics. As the Chinese hold these four works in the highest esteem, many directors would feel daunted by the challenge of adapting them for theatre. Edward, however, admits frankly that he was instead inspired by the film trilogy of The Lord of the Rings.
　
He observes that films adapted from novels, such as The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, often feature a new series every year, creating a sense of anticipation among its audience. He says that this was what spurred him to produce something similar for Chinese theatre - the staging of a new theatrical adaptation of one of the four great Chinese classics every year.

“With each instalment, not only would the Chinese audience be filled with anticipation”, says Edward. “We would also be able to view ancient culture through the lens of modern society and discover elements for further fermentation or re-interpretation.”

According to Edward’s plans, What is Man? (2006 - 2007) is the first of his project’s four works, followed by What is Fantasy (on the chinese classic Journey to the West)?, The Romance of Three Kingdoms and The Dream of the Red Chamber. The timing of the productions’ release has great significance for Edward. The year 2007 marks the 100th anniversary of the modern Chinese theatre. 100 years ago, Western theatre arrived in China. Today, the production, What is Fantasy?, gives usthe opportunity to become re-acquainted with ourselves. Next year, the production The Romance of Three Kingdoms will coincide with the release of John Woo’s new film based on the same novel, and hopefully a public fervour for this classic work Three Kingdoms will be ignited.

Interestingly, Edward’s selection of The Water Margin as the first production to kick off the series of adaptations was influenced by movie star Andy Lau. When Edward discussed his plans to bring these four classic novels to the theatre with Andy, the latter expressed keen interest in Edward’s proposal and offered to act in it and plan to release an album on Hero, in conjunction with the production.

Edward’s initial plan was to cast Andy in the role of the Director, a character whose voice the audience hears during the play and whose identity is only revealed when he takes to the stage during the curtain call. Eventually, Andy’s schedule for the film The Warlords excluded him from this production. But the fact that he was a catalyst behind the staging of What’s Man? remains.

Symbols of masculinity in What is Man?
In the original novel, The Water Margin tells the story of a gang of heroes forced by society to retreat to the Liang Mountain (or Liang Shan). In contrast, Edward’s play What is Man? begins with an audition for four actors.

In it, nine participating actors - modelled after heroes from The Water Margin - pit their acting skills against one another in different scenarios during the audition. On the surface, they bond as a band of brothers. But beneath the friendly facade, they secretly plot against one another.

Explains Edward, “the play’s storyline, language and costume are completely different from those of the original work. But we have retained the characterisation in The Water Margin”. He basically conceived What is Man? as an “RPG” or role playing game. To create his characters, he analysed the male characters in the novel, and came up with nine symbols of tragic heroism - Tiger, Wanderer, Precious Weapon, Human Flesh, The Boss, Gambler, Thief, Wine and Lotus - each representing a particular desire and aspect of man.

Says Edward, “In examining these traditional heroes, we discovered that beneath the glorified exteriors lay feelings of anxiety and loss, and the misappropriation of capabilities.” To illustrate his point, Edward gives the example of the character, Wanderer. His Wanderer is Yan Qing, a modern-day surfer who cruises through love and woman with the like how he ride the waves. Seemingly pleased with his popularity among women, he is however, plagued by inner fears. Another example is the character of Lu Zhishen whom Edward depicts as a drunkard lamenting the sorrows of man on quiet streets at three o’clock in the morning.

“Men in this new age are raised by their mothers with the utmost care”, observes Edward. “They display tough facades but are fragile within. When faced with pressures and ordeals, do they conform or escape? Do they rebel individually or do they do so in groups? What sort of pressures would force them to retreat to the proverbial Liang Mountain… What I seek to reveal are these men’s true selves and the pressures they face in life.”

In addition to the masculine symbolism, the play features a classic triad storyline woven into its plot. This is because Edward believes that The Water Margin is the source from which the genre of the triad movie sprang.

“The story in The Water Margin, much like the movie Infernal Affairs, revolves around the theme of brotherhood, and features characters like the Boss and his henchmen”, says Edward. “And its women, like the wives in triad movies, are always sources of temptation and nuisance”.

Reflecting society’s desires
From role-playing games to triad films to male soliloquies, popular elements of today’s society fill Edward’s What is Man.
His cast includes several rising stars from Taiwan such as Golden Horse Award for Best Supporting Actor nominee Joseph Chang (of Eternal Summer fame), film actor Chen Chang’s brother Han Chang, new Peking opera star Sebastien Chien and film/TV comedian David Wang, as well as Pin-Chen Chou (of the film Double Vision), Ying-Shine (of the drama The Magicians of Love), and actors Hung-Chang Chu, Chien-Chang Lee, Hugh Shih, Ethan Wei, Morning Mo and Yu-Lin Ling.

Societal trends in entertainment and burgeoning consumerism are topics that have always fascinated Edward. “Novels are closely tied to society”, he says. “Shi Nai’an (the author of The Water Margin) is actually an editor who has compiled popular folk tales into a work of fiction, so you can think of The Water Margin as being the classic equivalent of today’s Apple Daily. The adaptation of The Water Margin for theatre today necessitates the use of vocabulary and sentence structure commonly used by the general public today, particularly the language of popular culture.”

Edward feels that in this era of thriving consumerism and the internet culture, people have begun losing their sense of individual autonomy. The result is that people have started to seek to define themselves and win approval through avenues such as singing competitions and other platforms in popular culture – a culture that reflects the latent desires of modern man.

Viewing The Water Margin in the context of a social phenomenon, Edward then asks: What is man? How can he find himself?

Edward does not find his approach to theatre sensational or bold. “If my methods seem sensational, it is only because I’ve not adhered to traditional theatre; my work reflects life in all its reality.” As such, his productions are popular with the younger audience, embraced for being attuned to current trends and for raising issues for contemplation.

Edward jokes that “the characters in The Water Margin rebel against royalty and authority, and are inclined to subversion. I will stick to this spirit of subversion in my approach to theatre.”

Shanghai Blues – A Musical of Love Amidst Chaos

Through song and dance - the age-old languages of love and passion - Shanghai Blues tells a story of love in turbulent times. Bittersweet and tender, its depiction of an inexplicable connection between soulmates conveys an innocence and romance lacking in contemporary society.

Bridging love and yearning
As the curtains are drawn, a solitary bridge is revealed and its story gradually unfolds.

This bridge, according to Director Goh Boon Teck, is not only an important prop, it is, more importantly, a key symbol and metaphor. In the musical, Tu Yun and Wen Chong chance upon each other under the bridge as they seek shelter from a wartime air raid. From their short conversation in the dark sparks an immediate connection and mutual attraction that later on grows into a yearning for each other. After the war eight years later, Wen Chong returns to the same spot in the hope of meeting “the girl with soft, plaited hair” under the bridge again.

“It is a bridge of emotions and a bridge of history. It bridges love and dreams, the present and the past”, says Boon Teck.

Toy Factory’s third Raymond To work
Boon Teck emphasises that it was not his natural inclination towards producing musicals but the script that prompted him to stage Shanghai Blues.

“A heart-wrenching tale of a love triangle set against a war-ravaged Shanghai, replete with the dramatic intensity that tumultuous circumstances inevitably give rise to, as can be seen in the three lead characters’ emotional development”, says Boon Teck. “It will be touching. Audiences will love it.”

Written by well-known Hong Kong scriptwriter Raymond To, the musical is the third production that Boon Teck has staged which was based on a script by the playwright, the first two being I Have a Date with Spring and Mad Phoenix. To this day, Boon Teck feels grateful to Raymond To. “When Toy Factory was founded, nobody knew who we were. So when I actually mustered the courage to fax a note to Raymond whom I was a fan of, I never expected him to reply. But he did and I was beyond words!”

Perhaps it is this experience that inspires Boon Teck to continually nurture newcomers who are always welcomed in his productions. “Without a first try, how will newcomers ever have a second and third opportunity?” he muses. Hence, many first-time performers and crew members are involved in a production as large in scale as Shanghai Blues.

Songs of an era
To produce music that would reflect the period in which the tale is set as well as underscore the drama of the story, young local composer Phillip Tan is composing new songs for Shanghai Blues, as well as rearranging several of William So’s hits and many old songs. Also included in the production will be old Shanghai classics such as Side of Suzhou River and Fragrance of White Orchids. In addition, the famous Night Breeze written by talented Hong Kong composer-lyricist James Wong will be the production’s theme song, and accompany the story as it slowly unfolds. Performing the music live will be a six-member ensemble playing Chinese and Western instruments.

Boon Teck believes that the essence of the production lies in its combination of a great script, delicate emotions, and its depiction of the spirit of the era portrayed. As such, he expects his actors to be able to both sing and act. After they have received a copy of the script, he always arranges for them to attend seminars, concerts and films before formal rehearsals begin. For this production set in 1930s Shanghai, young performers had to discover the “flavour” of Shanghai in that period in order to realistically portray the sentiments of that era.

William, Mindee and Emma
Hong Kong singer-actor William So plays the male lead of Wen Chong. Known as a crooner of love ballads, William is the undisputed choice for this role for which he is as thrilled as he is apprehensive. (See article on William’s interview)

The two female lead characters Tu Yun and Dan Lei are played by Mindee Ong and Emma Yong respectively. The petite Mindee Ong, fresh from a well-received performance as Small Papaya in Royston Tan’s film 881, sees a bit of herself in Tu Yun.

“We are both women who walk the talk, and when it comes to love, we are both faithful to the one we give our heart to.” Mindee also points out that, with her tendency to keep alone and silent when she feels down, she shares Tu Yun’s habit of “burying her emotions”. If Tu Yun were to be described in terms of the four seasons, muses Mindee, she would be “winter on the outside and summer within”, because buried within her cool exterior is a fervent yearning for love.

The character of Dan Lei, however, is quite different. Emma sees her as a passionate girl who is humourous, materialistic and generous to those she loves. She is certain that she shares some character traits with the guileless Dan, “but only her ‘innocence’.” Says Emma, “I would definitely not make such a huge self-sacrifice for the sake of love!”

Acting, singing and dancing in Shanghai Blues pose no problems for both Mindee and Emma. In fact Mindee had her first break in a singing contest but says, “I still prefer theatre.” From TV sitcom Different Cuts Different Strokes, and Momo by Drama Box, to the recent If There're Season by Theatre Practice, Mindee has come a long way and her experience has only reaffirmed her preference for theatre.

Emma, on the other hand, received her training in musicals, having performed in several such as Dick Lee’s Beauty World and Mortal Sins. “But I hardly sing Mandarin songs”, she says. “So I will listen to as many Mandarin albums as I can, especially songs from the 30s and 40s to accurately grasp the singing techniques and styles.”

看過最好笑的 MSN 暱稱

※無心插柳柳橙汁

※賣女孩的小火柴

※鑽石恆久遠,一顆就破產

※乳搖知馬力-日久變人妻

※白目不是病,白起來要人命

※聾子聽到啞巴說瞎子看到鬼

※紅綠燈不是參考用,是照明用的

※人不後悔不是人,不會後悔就是神

※汝父久未贊汝,汝不知吾足著幾番

※平生不識朝河蘭,就稱痴漢也枉然

※薏仁做事薏仁湯,小叮做事小叮噹

※山不轉路轉...路不轉你迴轉阿...

※帥...有什麼用...還不是被卒吃掉!

※本草綱目有記載~腦殘、白目沒得醫!

※肝若差人生是黑白,肝若好考卷是空白

※為什麼搭訕我的是小白胖妹不是小白辣妹

※何謂早睡早起?就是今天早上睡,隔天早上起床

※遠眺望山....看山小... 登高視水....真水小...

※要抄的筆記宛如罄竹難書般,使我的手快要音容苑在

※msn顯示線上的有80%是離開,顯示離開的有80%在線上

※不管電腦多進步,效能多高,微軟就是能讓他跑起來像386

※安西教練:「三井,你負責投外線.內線就交給趙建銘了!」

※本人拒絕任何一夜情的邀約,否則請妳馬上滾......滾到我床上

※大便的離去,是馬桶的追求?還是肛門的不挽留?...........^_^|||

※人生自古誰無屎,有誰大便不用紙,若君不用衛生紙,除非汝是用手指

※兄弟如手足,女人如衣服,誰碰我衣服,我砍他手足,誰碰我手足,我穿他衣服

仇~~~~是這樣報的!

我有一個親戚常常把安全帽掛在車上，他懶得每次帶回家，
再加上他又住在鬧區附近，所以他安全帽的失竊率超高，
從九百塊一頂到九十九塊一頂都有人偷。
可是他又超有原則，絕對不偷拿別人安全帽。
所以常常在安全帽被偷後未帶安全帽，
騎車去買安全帽的途中，就被鬼鬼祟祟的警察攔下開單(屢試不爽)，
任憑你怎麼解釋安全帽剛被偷，警察照開不誤。
有一天新買不久的安全帽又被偷，他火大了，
一想到每次只要相信人性本善，就有無恥小偷順手牽羊，
於是他突發奇想，買了一頂九十九元的安全帽，
在內側塗上滿滿的強力膠，然後放到機車上。
嘿！嘿！嘿！
當天晚上果然聽到一聲慘叫（市區公寓大家住得近），
然後一連串的三字五字咒罵聲，他滿意的帶著睡意入眠。
過了幾天居然有警察上門拜訪，因為他被人控告惡意傷害。
原來幹他安全帽的小偷頭髮被迫剃掉一大塊，
然後小偷按他的牌照去警察局報案，所以警察來關切一下。
我親戚聽到差點笑死，
他說：「我在我安全帽上塗強力膠是我家的事，誰叫他要偷我安全帽」，
沒想到小偷說法更絕，說他只是覺得那頂安全帽跟他前一陣子被偷走的很像，
因此他要求我親戚賠償他五萬元精神損失，否則上法庭。
我親戚的回答更絕：
「你覺得那頂安全帽跟你前一陣子被偷走的很像，
所以只是想試戴看看是不是你遺失的那頂，
那如果我看你老婆跟我老婆很像,
那我是不是可以拿來用用」。^^

We were just too hungry =(






no money~
money come come !