LIU RUSHI, MY DEAR Comes to HKRep

Following the success of Hu Xueyan, my Dear, HKRep Artistic Director Poon Wai Sum creates another play based on a historical figure: Liu Rushi. Despite many fateful turns, Liu shattered conventional ideas of womanhood in the dynastic era: she was true to herself and steadfast in love.

Although she was sold in her youth as a concubine and ended up a courtesan, her talent and beauty attracted the likes of the “Three Scholars of Yunjian”—of whom she was romantically involved with Song Zhenyu and Chen Zilong.

Eventually, she fell in love with the sage Qian Qianyi who was many decades her senior. Ignoring public outcry, the respected scholar made her his wife. Liu's life has long been celebrated: strong in character but carefree in disposition, she was a true patriot who won the respect of many. Although her life was short, it was splendid and colourful.

From his unique viewpoint, Poon Wai Sum wields his pen with sensitivity, connecting with the core of Chinese cultural sentiment while employing Western theatrical aesthetics to provide a contemporary portrait of an ancient female figure in Liu Rushi, my Dear. China CITIC Bank International brings you Liu Rushi, my Dear, written and directed by HKRep Artistic Director Poon Wai Sum with drama critic and HKRep Honorary Artistic Advisor Dr. Cheung Ping Kuen as literary dramaturg and Hong Kong Dance Company Artistic Director Yang Yuntao as kinetic dramaturg. Liu Rushi, my Dear features Mercy Wong, Ko Hon Man, Angus Chan, Man Sui Hing, Chow Chi Fai, Chan Kiu, Yu Hon Ting, Eddy Au Yeung and Ng Ka Leung in the cast. This production runs from 9th to 24th September at the Hong Kong City Hall Theatre. Tickets are now available at URBTIX outlets.

 

Liu Rushi, my Dear depicts the story of Liu Rushi, a renowned courtesan from the late Ming and early Qing dynasties widely praised as the top among “Eight Beauties of Qinhuai River”. She was a patriot who lived with honour, daring to love even in the face of death, true to herself for richer or poorer. When the Qing army overran the Ming court, her fate at that critical juncture made her the legendary “woman warrior with rare beauty”. Poon Wai Sum has won critical acclaim for his output of historical plays, such as The Emperor, his Mom, a Eunuch and a Man that garnered six Hong Kong Drama Awards and Hu Xueyan, my Dear that collected a total of 14 awards in Hong Kong and China. This time, Poon continues to use his unique frame of reference and nuanced writing combined with Western dramatic components in Liu Rushi, my Dear, creating an entrancing portrait of a revered figure in Chinese cultural history.

 

Playwright and Director Poon Wai Sum states, “It is rare to see dramas on Chinese historical or traditional subjects in Hong Kong. The HKRep has gladly accepted the challenge to develop this genre, drawing inspiration from history and culture, fusing theatrical aesthetics both East and West and distilling a uniquely original 'Hong Kong-style' Chinese theatre. Liu Rushi, my Dear follows the example of Hu Xueyan, my Dear: in a brand-new play, we examine a storied figure caught in the grand sweep of momentous historical events. This play focuses on Qinhuai River courtesan Liu Rushi who lived during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. As we follow the ups and downs of her life, we admire the indomitable spirit of Liu—a common woman—and how she survived and thrived despite the turmoil around her. We look forward to this production, for which we invited Dr. Cheung Ping Kuen as literary dramaturg and Mr. Yang Yuntao as kinetic dramaturg.”

 

Literary dramaturg Dr. Cheung Ping Kuen adds, “Liu Rushi is a celebrated figure with a legendary background. As a courtesan and fine singer-performer of Jiangnan, she was praised for her beauty and talent and pursued by many. Of her many suitors, the one with whom she was most deeply involved was Chen Zilong, a celebrated poet during the final years of the Ming dynasty. Later, she was involved with Qian Qianyi, leader of the Donglin Faction. The romance between Qian and Liu wasn't just personal and intimate, but coincided with the fall of the Ming and the rise of the Qing dynasties, epitomizing the pain in making hard choices, and the difficulty of recording the complexity of history. In the middle of political developments and romantic entanglements, complicated relationships among the Manchurian invaders Nurhaci, Hong Taiji and Dorgon, rebel leader Li Zicheng and the late Ming commander Hong Chengchou appear in the play. We feel the pulse of a bygone era that encircled an orphaned girl sold as a prostitute who managed to live a remarkable life. Liu's circumstances so fascinated historian Chen Yinke that he penned her biography centuries later. Come September, theatregoers will witness an exceptional new work by Poon Wai Sum; they'll understand why he uses 'my Dear' in the title of this play.”

 

About Playwright and Director   Poon Wai Sum

Prior to becoming the Artistic Director of the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre in 2023, Poon Wai Sum held the post of Dean of the School of Drama at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts from 2017 to 2022, after having served as Resident Playwright and Discipline Leader of Dramatic Writing from 2012 to 2017. Previously, he was the Artistic Director of Prospects Theatre Company from 1993 to 2012. He was awarded the Drama Practitioner Annual Achievement Award in 1999 and the Award for Arts Achievement in 2003 from the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, and was awardee of the Secretary for Home Affairs' Recommendation Scheme in 2006. He is currently Adjunct Professor at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and a member of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council.

 

His recent award-winning plays include The Diary of Song, Hu Xue Yan, my Dear and The Emperor, his Mom, a Eunuch and a Man. His publications include The Insects Series – An Anthology of Plays by Poon Wai Sum, Man of Tiger – A Collection of Short Stories by Poon Wai Sum, and Poon Wai Sum: The Two-Handed – The Diary of Song, Confrontations.

 

About Literary dramaturg   Dr. Cheung Ping Kuen

Having taken part in the local theatre arts since early 1970s, Cheung Ping Kuen has been a playwright, a director, an actor, a dramaturg and most continuously, a theatre researcher and critic for more than half a century. He is now the Chairman of the International Association of Theatre Critics (HK) and has written numerous theatre critiques and edited some books. 
 
Cheung was elected by the arts community and appointed member of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council from 1996 to 2007, and was the Chairman of Drama Committee and the Chairman of Arts Support Committee. He was the founding Chairman of the Hong Kong Drama/Theatre and Education Forum (TEFO) and the co-Director of the IDEA World Congress 2007. In 2002, Cheung was awarded Medal of Honour by the Government of Hong Kong SAR in recognition of his contributions to the development of drama arts.
 
Cheung was the Head of Liberal Arts Studies of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts from 2003 to 2015. He helped establish the School of Chinese Opera and being the Acting Dean for one year. He is still doing part-time teaching for the Academy after his retirement.
 
Cheung's MPhil thesis A Study on Huang Tingjian's Poems – with reference on the influence of his acquaintances was published by the Chinese University Press in 1978. His PhD dissertation topic was The Xiqu Elements in Chinese Modern Drama.