Actors’ Roles 角色
In Peking opera, an
actor or actress is trained for only one type of character and concentrates on
this category for the whole of his training period. Even though the actor is trained only for one
category, he is considered very talented if he can change to other roles within
that category. If the actor shifts, it is never outside his particular
category. Thus, such a detailed knowledge of the character acted is attained on
graduation that each separate role is performed to perfection. The categories are distinctly different from
each other in gestures, movements, costumes and quality of voice.
The sheng 生
The sheng 生 is
the main male role in Peking opera, which has numerous subtypes; Lao
sheng is a dignified older role with a gentle and cultivated
disposition and a middle-aged or old man who wears a beard, Hsiao
Sheng, a young man; Young male characters as xiaosheng sing in a high,
shrill voice with occasional breaks, Wu sheng is a martial
character for roles involving combat who is highly trained in acrobatics and
has a natural voice when singing; A man of military tenor.
The first subtype is Lao Sheng; actors are required to attain the
dignity of bearing and gentle, polished manners of the middle-aged mandarin
official or scholar and in military plays they may be a general or high-ranking
officer of a gentler and more cultivated disposition than that of the painted
faces, Ching. Lao Sheng has
a black or white beard depending on his age, and wears a black hat with two
fins on either side which vary in shape according to his rank in a civil role.
Their voice is soft
and pleasant to listen to, neither too harsh nor too high-pitched, but gentle
and firm.
The next subtype is Hsiao Sheng; it
requires its actor the distinguish feature of a thrill and high-pitched
voice to indicate his youth because the part is extremely difficult to sing,
and when the actor is speaking his voice must suddenly drop from its
high-pitched quality to indicate the voice-breaking period of adolescence. Hsiao
Sheng is usually small and slight of stature and no beard is worn for
this part.
The third subtype is Wu Sheng; the
actors are mainly acrobats, although they sometimes have a part which requires
much acting and they play any part in military or civil plays which requires
high standards of acrobatics. They also have pheasant
feathers in his hat, and four small flags or pennant strapped to his back and
high-soled boots (all of which make his acrobatic feats even more spectacular).
The costume for this role is often a bright in color, especially in legendary
plays.
The Dan 旦
The dan 旦 refers
to any female role in Peking opera. Dan roles were originally divided into five
subtypes; old women are played by laodan, martial women are wudan,
young female warriors are daomadan, virtuous and elite women
are qingyi, vivacious and unmarried women are huadan.
A troupe will have a young Dan to play main roles, as well as an older Dan for
secondary parts.
The
first subtype is the Lao Dan. The role is
simply an old woman but great skill is required for this specialized part. Lao
Dan actress cleverly portrays in her bent back and faltering but
dignified movements her character’s advancing years. They are often seen
carrying a staff and unlike the other female roles, she wears not much make up
and her costume is more subdued in color and design. Her voice tends to be
slightly deeper, natural voice is used and not the forced high-pitched one used
in other female roles.
The second subtype is the Wu Dan; the female
acrobatic role. Wu Dan actress steps into or
takes any female role
that requires a high degree of acrobatics and is purely an acrobat. Thus, her
role demands a talented actress for a successful performance.
The third subtype is the Dao Ma Dan;
a stronger, more forceful character, usually a woman general. The actor plays
the part of the female warrior and needs to be trained mainly for acting and
singing. This role performs many skillful movements especially with the
pheasant feathers in her head-dress and her military weapons but she still
retains feminine charm, however, and a very versatile actress is required for
this role.
The fourth subtype is usually of a quiet, gentle
disposition and graceful in her movements; Qingyi is the Chinese
ideal of a beautiful woman. Her costume is elegant, simple and of good quality
but not as vivid in color as that of the Hua Dan and her singing is of pure,
high-pitched quality.
For the fifth subtype, Hua Dan actress the
gay, flirtatious personality of a young girl is required. She is not of such a
high social standing as the Qingyi and because of her lower social status, more
hand movements are required (as in old times it was not considered polite for a
well-bred Chinese lady to show her hands). The costume for this role is usually
vivid in design and her singing voice has a gayer and slightly stronger in
quality.
The Jing 净
The jing 净 is a
painted face male role, depending on the repertoire of the particular troupe;
he will play either primary or secondary roles. Jing will entail a
forceful character that has a strong voice and is able to exaggerate gestures.
His robust, gruff, bass voice and grotesquely painted face together with his
swaggering self-assertive manner all combine to make him the most forceful
personality in most scenes in which he appears.
There are
15 basic facial patterns, but over 1000 specific variations of those. Each
design is unique to a specific character. To see a Ching actor for the first
time is a startling experience for the spectator because of some specific
facial patterns or designs. There aresome meanings associated with some colors
i.e. Red – good, White – treacherous, Black – brusque, Blue – wild.
Wears
heavy, ornate costume and headdress with a padded jacket underneath to enhance
the effect and often playing the part of a high-ranking army general but can
also be seen as warrior or official.
The Chou 丑
The chou 丑 is
a male clown role. He usually plays secondary roles in a troupe. Indeed,
most studies of Peking opera classify the chou as a minor
role. Chou characters are generally amusing and likable, if a bit
foolish.
Chou roles
can be divided into wenchou, civilian roles such as merchants and jailers,
and wuchou, minor military roles. Their costumes range from simple for
characters of lower status to elaborate for high status characters.
Wen Ch’ou
role is usually a civilian, such as jailer, servant, merchant or scholar.
Sometimes the role can be a rascal, with a slightly wicked nature.
Wu Ch’ou
role performs minor military roles as a soldier and must be skilled in
acrobatics; alternatively, a scholar or a prince – an eccentric or irritating
one with fussy gestures.