A play titled "A Bouffon Play About Hong Kong" was performed at Manchester's HOME THEATRE, with an all-Hong Kong cast delivering the show in English over three days (16th, 17th, and 18th February). The narrative unfolds from the perspective of morning walkers at Lion Rock, covering ordinary citizens, law enforcers, politicians, and even royalty, summarising Hong Kong's journey from the British colonial era, through the handover, to that unforgettable summer.
The term "Bouffon" originally referred to jesters in royal courts who entertained monarchs with exaggerated antics. Over time, it came to describe performers hired by the nobility to amuse guests with comedic acts. In the theatrical world, Bouffon is distinctive, creating an absurd and distorted grotesque world where characters often have bizarre bodily transformations. This has historical roots in medieval Western Europe: from the 13th to the 16th century, especially in France, January 1st was celebrated as Fool’s Day. On this day, Christian morals were set aside, and performers were allowed to mimic church rituals and openly mock priests, the church, and the upper class. These performers were often "outcasts" relegated to forests and swamps. Bouffon, based on this tradition, developed into a form of satirical comedy focusing on mimicry and distortion (for satire), prompting the audience to think about contemporary social issues from an unconventional perspective.
Returning to ABPAHK, the play's structure is straightforward and easy to understand, allowing even those unfamiliar with Hong Kong's story to grasp our fears and anger in a lighthearted manner. The script is primarily in English, with Cantonese and Mandarin interspersed. In addition to overt satire in the dialogue reflecting the current situation, the play uses exaggerated actions and expressions to mirror various social sectors. There are also more subtle metaphors, such as a free bird and children playing on the edge of danger. The Cantonese lessons between scenes evolve from initially light-hearted to increasingly forced as the play progresses. Although the performance seems absurd and humorous, we all know it's a tragedy. The sadness stems from the fact that both performers and audience members are far from home.
It's been over two years since the announcement of the BNO visa, and we've left our homeland in search of a new life. Whether for the sake of our children's education or the inability to cope with the oppressive atmosphere, there are countless reasons. We all face new challenges, particularly regarding identity. Since the day we left, we've been thousands of miles away from home; while the physical distance remains unchanged, time passes steadily. On March 1st, Hong Kong finally lifted its mandatory mask mandate, but can we still relate to that? We've been free from such restrictions in the UK for a year. Hong Kong's political freedom is suffocatingly suppressed, while European countries are restricting personal freedom under the pretext of tracking carbon footprints for environmental agendas. Gradually, our connection with Hong Kong weakens. In this new land, what aspects of Hong Kong culture are worth preserving? What bad habits must we discard? No matter where we are, the fight against the system is never far away. Despite this, I believe ABPAHK has its significance: firstly, to tell Hong Kong's story well to foreigners, and secondly, to evoke heavy memories while awakening the initial longing for freedom.
We look forward to the play being performed again and brought to various parts of the UK.
Comments