Synopsis Presented by the young actors of the Shanghai Huaiju Troupe, Kong Yiji reimagines Lu Xun’s classic short story of the same name. Describing the misfortunes that befall the poor, pedantic scholar Kong Yiji when the civil service system he aspires to enter suddenly undergoes changes, the story is often described as reflecting the societal shifts of the late Qing dynasty. The highlight of the production is the experimental vocal style used by the troupe that combines the elegant delivery of Huaiju with the regional inflections of Peking opera dialects. *This performance makes use of pre-recorded music. Cast Gao Ting Gao Ting is an actor with the Shanghai Huaiju Troupe. Born in 1985 in Hebei Province, he trained in the laosheng (old man) and wenchou (civilian comic) roles and studied at the College of Chinese Opera at the Shanghai Theatre Academy. In 2016 he won the Best Performance and Best Directing awards at the Tian Han Drama Awards of the All China Experimental Theatre Projects. His repertoire includes Nanyang Pass, Vengeance in a Black Pot, Yang Silang Visits His Mother, The Snobbish Innkeeper, Visiting the Grave, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Richard III, The Chef, the Actor, the Scoundrel, Youths’ China Dream, The Confucian Disciples and Kong Yiji. Shanghai Huaiju Troupe Founded in May 1953, the Shanghai Huaiju Troupe is one of the earliest state art troupes organised by the Shanghai Municipality. Over the past 60 years, the troupe has created, arranged and performed more than 300 programmes, including Lan Qiao Hui, Nu Shen, San Nu Qiang Ban, Shui Man Sizhou, Tan Han Yao, Guan Jin Min Deng, Bai She Zhuan, Ya Nu Gao Zhuang, Wuhan San Sha, Hai Gang De Zao Chen, Mu Yu Zi, Ba Nu Tou Jiang, Jin Long Yu Fu You, Ma Ling Dao, Xi Chu Ba Wang, Da Lu Chao Tian, Qian Gu Hanfei, Jia You Zhang Zi, Da Hong Liu, and the influential Xi Chu Ba Wang. Many of the troupe’s programmes have been recognised with national and municipal awards, with Jin Long Yu Fu Youreceiving 43 awards nationwide, and Xi Chu Ba Wang receiving over ten awards at The Sixth Chinese Drama Festival, including the Award for Excellent Repertoire. Renowned Huaiju artists like Xiao Wenyan, He Jiaotian and a number of outstanding young performers, such as Liang Weiping, have also been recognised with major awards, including the Wenhua Award, the Plum Blossom Prize and the Magnolia Prize. The troupe currently comprises around 60 senior professional artists. Several of its programmes have been adapted and performed by art troupes around the nation, and recordings of major performances have also been published for distribution.

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Programme Details Date: 10 September 2017 (Sunday) Time: 7:45pm Venue: HKRep Black Box Ticket price: $180 Half price for people with disabilities and the accompany minders and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients 10% discount for HKRep Pals Tickets available at URBTIX from 4 August 2017 Online booking: http://www.urbtix.hk Telephone credit card booking: 2111 5999 With Chinese and English surtitles *The duration is for reference only.