Hung Ka Po Cantonese Opera Troupe: An Official’s Promotion – a newly adapted Cantonese Opera and Chuncao breaks into the Trial Court

23-24.3.2021

An Official’s Promotion – a newly adapted Cantonese Opera

Adaptation: Loong Koon-tin, Chan Hung-chun, Lai Yiu-wai

An Official’s Promotion is adapted from An Official’s Demotion, a play in the repertoire of the vernacular opera of Tangshan called Pingju and of Fujian Opera.  The storyline makes references to the Chinese proverbial saying of fictional objects, ‘zixu wuyou’ (out-of-nowhere and non-existent).  Bian Yixiao, Governor of Zixu Prefecture, is a broad-minded and upright official who has no fear of the powers-that-be.  He is demoted to the post of Mayor of Wuyou County by Cui Yunlong, the newly appointed Inspector of Three Provinces, for having taken Zhang Xiuyu, a courtesan, as wife.  Cui promotes Jin Daxian, a hypocrite, in Bian’s place as the new Governor of Zixu Prefecture instead.  Then a murder case happens in the Wuyou County.  To investigate, Bian disguises himself as a fortune-teller to gather evidence at the tea house.  There he meets Cui who is on an inspection tour disguised as a traveler doctor.  They strike up a warm friendship instantly.  Bian thinks highly of Cui and offers to train him, and takes him back to his residence.  During the night, Bian visits secretly the scene of the crime and discovers the adulterous couple Liu Qiang and Ai Chunlan, both suspects in the murder case.  Liu injures Bian in a scuffle and flees.  Because of his injuries, Bian asks Cui to preside over the trial on his behalf.  Cui finds out that Governor Jin’s nephew is the murderer, but he frees him on purpose while feigning obsequiousness towards the Governor.  Outraged, Bian puts Cui in jail.  His wife visits Cui in his cell and gives him a lesson in morality.  By then, Cui is filled with admiration for this couple and feels remorse over Bian’s demotion.  Bian is set on bringing the murderer to justice.  However, Governor Jin covers up for his nephew and accuses Bian viciously of raping a widow.  How will the case end?  To find out, attend the show.

Loong Koon-tin as Cui Yunlong

Cheng Wing-mui as Zhang Xiuyu

Chan Hung-chun as Bian Yixiao

Lui Hung-kwong as Stall Owner (former) / Jin Daxian (latter)

Wang Kit-ching as Ai Chunlan 

Vong Seng-pan as Liu Qiang (former) / Soldier Zhou (latter)  

Yat Dim-hung as Wang Xu (former) / General Hu (latter)

Tam Wing-lun, Alan as Lishi (former) / Judge Lai (latter)

Siu Wing-yee as Qiuju

8.12.2020

Chuncao breaks into the Trial Court

The performance has been changed to online programme without live audience.  The recorded performance will be broadcast on the LCSD Edutainment Channel, Cultural Presentations Section website and other platforms.

Please keep the original intact ticket(s) (with stubs) and refer to the announcement on the Cultural Presentations website for ticket refund in due course.

Playwright: Law Ka-ying

The Prime Minister’s daughter Li Banyue, accompanied by her maid, Chuncao, goes to Huashan on an incense-offering pilgrimage.  She is harassed by Wu Du, son of the Minister of Civil Service.  A chivalrous young man, Xue Meiting, happens to pass by and comes to their rescue.  He kills Wu by accident and is taken into custody and sent to the yamen.  Lady Yang, Minister Wu’s wife, tries to force Prefect Hu to flog Xue to death to avenge her son’s death.  In a desperate attempt to save him, Chuncao barges into the courtroom, and lies that Xue is the Prime Minister’s son-in-law.  Prefect Hu dares not enforce the flogging, to the chagrin of Lady Yang.  But he insists to go to the Prime Minister’s Residence to confirm.  At first Chuncao tries to pull wool over his eyes by saying the slow-witted maid, Qiuhua, is her mistress and the Prime Minister’s daughter, but the lie is soon discovered.  She persuades Banyue to acknowledge Xue as her husband.  The two then go to the capital to explain the case to the Prime Minister.  But he flies into a rage and writes a letter to instruct Hu to deliver Xue’s head to the capital instead.  Chuncao plays a trick to detain the official messenger, and asks Banyue to change the content of the letter before it is delivered.  On receipt of it, the sycophantic Prefect Hu is more than happy to make a big fanfare out of it and give Xue a rousing send-off to the capital.  The procession rattles the capital and all officials send gifts and congratulations.  Even the Emperor bestows a plaque to mark the happy occasion.  Prime Minister Li cannot but accept Xue as his son-in-law.

Loong Koon-tin as Xue Meiting

Cheng Wing-mui as Chuncao

Chan Hung-chun as Prefect Hu

Lui Hung-kwong as Lady Yang

Lai Yiu-wai as Wu Du (former) / Li Zhongqin (latter)

Wang Kit-ching as Li Banyue

Yat Dim-hung as Wang Shoubei

Leung Fei-tung as Qiuhua

The running time of the performance is approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes including an intermission of 15 minutes.

Information provided by the arts group

Please refer to Chinese version.

Hung Ka Po Cantonese Opera Troupe: An Official’s Promotion – a newly adapted Cantonese Opera and Chuncao breaks into the Trial Court

DATE

VENUE

PRICE

08.12.2020 (Tue)
19:30

Auditorium, Tai Po Civic Centre

$240, $180, $140

23.03.2021 (Tue)
19:30

Auditorium, Sha Tin Town Hall

$320,$260,$200,$140

BUY NOW

24.03.2021 (Wed)
19:30

Theatre, Ko Shan Theatre

$380,$280,$200,$140

BUY NOW

DATE

08.12.2020 (Tue)
19:30

VENUE

Auditorium, Tai Po Civic Centre

PRICE

$240, $180, $140

DATE

23.03.2021 (Tue)
19:30

VENUE

Auditorium, Sha Tin Town Hall

PRICE

$320,$260,$200,$140

BUY NOW

DATE

24.03.2021 (Wed)
19:30

VENUE

Theatre, Ko Shan Theatre

PRICE

$380,$280,$200,$140

BUY NOW

Tickets of An Official's Promotion are available from 3 March 2021 onwards at URBTIX outlets, on internet, mobile app and credit card telephone booking.  

Half-price tickets available for senior citizens aged 60 and above, people with disabilities and the minder, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients. (Limited tickets for full-time students and CSSA recipients available on a first-come, first-served basis.)

Please visit www.urbtix.hk for details of special opening hours of URBTIX outlets.
 

Smart Price
Save $8 per ticket for booking through the URBTIX website, mobile app or credit card telephone booking.

Credit Card Telephone Booking：2111 5999

Internet Booking：www.urbtix.hk

Ticket refund

1. Ticket holders of An Official’s Promotion originally scheduled on 8 March 2020 at the Auditorium of Yuen Long Theatre, or 9 March 2020 at the Theatre of Ko Shan Theatre can keep the original tickets intact (with stubs) for refund.  Please call 2268 7325 during office hours for refund arrangement.

2. Ticket holders of 8 December 2020 Chuncao breaks into the Trial Court at Tai Po Civic Centre, and 26 or 31 January 2021 An Official’s Promotion at Ko Shan Theatre and Yuen Long Theatre respectively wish for a refund must keep the original tickets intact with stub for refund.  Please refer to the ticket refund announcement for details of the refund arrangement and the opening hours of the box office: 

https://ticket.urbtix.hk/internet/en_US/newsDetail/173276

Refund Period: 4 March (Thu) - 28 April 2021 (Wed) 

Refund Location: 

Box Office, Tai Po Civic Centre for tickets of 8 December 2020

Box Office, Ko Shan Theatre for tickets of 26 January 2021 

Box Office, Yuen Long Theatre for tickets of 31 January 2021 
 

Programme Enquiries：2268 7325

Ticketing Enquiries：3761 6661

Credit Card Telephone Booking：2111 5999

Internet Booking：www.urbtix.hk

The presenter reserves the right to change the programme and substitute artists.

The programme does not represent the views of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.