“We will spread the fire of theatre”
Chinese opera troupe Youngfu Promotion and Protection Centre performed at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy as part of the 2nd Dhaka International Theatre Festival. In a recent interview, Lin Chau Jun, the team leader of the troupe and secretary general of Theatre Association of Guangxi Province, China shared his views on theatre in his country and more. Excerpts:
"It feels great to be here for the first time for a theatre performance. I love Bangladesh as I learned that the great poet Rabindranath Tagore who has written its national anthem called this country a golden land. I was looking forward to coming here."
Asked about their performance, he said "We gave you a very interesting traditional Chinese opera. This is very popular in different parts of China. We call it beautiful melodies. Also the troupe comes from a beautiful place called Youngfu which literally means 'forever happiness'."
About his country's cultural heritage and how culture helps develop human beings, Lin said, "China has a long history and a rich heritage indeed. So culture has been the reflection of the inner being of the Chinese people."
He further added, "I believe that a dance piece can make people happy and sad. It is very natural. So, we Chinese people express our emotions through arts like theatre."
He believes that this festival will boost friendship between the two countries. "This year also marks 40 years of the diplomatic relationship between Bangladesh and China. We believe that this is only a start and it is part of the exchange that will happen later."
Asked what can be done to exchange culture on global platforms he said, "I think there should be a universal platform where theatre troupes from every country can display their productions. We must focus on the exchange of young theatre activists, particularly university students."
"In China we organise a national campus where youths participate; I have organised four such sessions. We will spread the fire of theatre from generation to generation," he added.
About the essentials of a good production, Jun said, "Firstm one needs a good story which people can appreciate. Take the stories of Shakespeare; they are accepted everywhere. Then there comes expressions which is crucial for theatre people. A performer should have techniques to create rapport with the audience to make the performance more interactive."
Comments