Forced to Liangshan

Having just wrapped up the musical dance drama Joyful Times: The Chekhov Legend last October, I received a call from a friend in Hong Kong. They told me they'd seen promotional materials for the 2011 Hong Kong Arts Festival production Water Margin 108 II: Hall of Loyalty and Righteousness. My first thought was, "Really? Do I have the energy? Can it be done in time?"

A rock version of Water Margin was designed as a platform for young actors to showcase their energy. However, the middle part of the story centers on Song Jiang. Who would be the ideal choice for this role? Which young actor had the gravitas and could still let loose? Under Hsiu-Wei’s "soft-hard persuasion," it wasn’t until just before rehearsals in January that I was told I’d be playing the chief of the Hall of Loyalty and Righteousness—taking the lead as Song Jiang!

This decision made me feel ten years younger. I bonded with the young actors from the Shanghai Theatre Academy, forming friendships and matching them in stamina. Everyone, from the academy’s dean to the staff managing the rehearsal rooms, gave their full support. Incredibly, we managed to bring the production to life in less than two months.