"The old Shanghainese describe it, and the older the wine, the more fragrant it is; the new Shanghainese say that it is the best teaching material for learning Shanghainese." Wang Rugang, head of the Shanghai People's Burlesque Troupe, said that this play is "Seventy-Two Tenants".
The classic burlesque play "Seventy-Two Tenants", which has not been seen with the audience for a long time, will appear on the Shanghai Tiantou Yifu Stage in March, and 10 national first-class actors in the troupe will gather to appear, bringing back the familiar roles of Sanliujiu, Binggen, Er landlord, and little cobbler back to the audience's vision.
The Shanghai People's Burlesque Troupe's masterpiece "Seventy-Two Tenants" was born in 1958, and four burlesque artists, Yang Huasheng, Xiao Xixi, Zhang Qiaonong and Shen Yile, wrote the script based on the hard life of the low-income citizens of Shanghai before liberation. After the performance of "Seventy-Two Tenants", it was a sensation, performance tickets were often difficult to find, and "Seventy-two Tenants" also became synonymous with the narrow housing in the memory of a generation of Shanghainese, and many lines also became the daily language of Shanghai citizens.
Sold three-quarters of the way through the 24-hour ticket, "Seventy-Two Tenants" showed a good box office appeal and gave the troupe a shot in the arm. Is there any burlesque? Where can you see burlesque? Wang Rugang admitted that he could hear such inquiries from the audience from time to time, and during the Chinese New Year, he received a handwritten letter from a 93-year-old audience member, all of which encouraged the troupe to "protect the Shanghai dialect", which made him quite emotional and strengthened his determination to inherit the classics: "As long as the mass base is still there, we can continue to act." ”
It is reported that the "Seventy-Two Tenants" brings together three generations of actors from the troupe, Wang Rugang, Mao Mengda, Zhang Xiaoling, Shen Ronghai, Tao Dexing, Qian Yi, Chen Liang, Pan Qianwei, Zhang Dingguo, Cao Xiong, 10 national first-class actors will bring laughter to the audience with young actors.
Mao Mengda, who played "Three Six Nine" in the play, still remembers how to step into the process of "Seventy-Two Tenants": "The first time I watched "Seventy-Two Tenants" was on TV, when there was no one on the road, and then I watched it in the theater, and the life and comedy effects made me very moved," he said: "'Seventy-Two Tenants' has reached us for the third generation, because the 'Thirty-Six Nine' played by the predecessors is too classic, no one dared to take this role at that time, I had the courage to volunteer to sign up. Nowadays, we must not only act well, but also let it go on for a long time. ”
The new performances of the old dramas are different, and it is inseparable from the re-elaboration of the script, choreography, costumes, etc., Wang Rugang told reporters that even if the hawkers shout and sell, there is also a doorway. "Gardenia white orchids are sold during the day, the sound should be loud and bright, ham dumplings are sold at night, the voice is lower, and the sharpening scissors should be shouted two sentences to stop." He said. The Shanghai People's Burlesque Troupe will also broadcast live rehearsals, stages and behind-the-scenes stories created for "Seventy-Two Tenants" on the official Douyin platform to lead more people to understand this classic.
"Seventy-Two Tenants" will land on the Shanghai Tiantou Yifu Stage on March 24, 25 and 26 at 19:15, and this performance will be hosted by the China Shanghai International Arts Festival and the Shanghai People's Burlesque Troupe.
Author: Wang Xiaoli
Photo: Shanghai People's Burlesque Troupe Courtesy of Shanghai
Editor: Tong Weijing