LITTLE LEAP FORWARD - Horse + Bamboo Theatre...

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LITTLE LEAP FORWARD is inspired by Guo Yue’s real experiences as a child growing up in China. Guo Yue was born in 1958 in Beijing. His father was a violinist, and he grew up in a traditional courtyard, with his five brothers and sisters. In 1982, he came to England, to study the silver flute at the Guildhall School of Music in London. As a musician, he now travels the world performing, making recordings and playing on film soundtracks. Guo Yue wrote the book with his wife, Clare Farrow, a freelance arts writer. It is the second book they have written together, their first book was called MUSIC, FOOD AND LOVE. WHY NOT? Think about who you know who was alive in 1966 (the year when this story is set). Interview family, teachers or friends asking them what they remember about that time in their lives. How was their life in 1966 different from Yue’s? WHY NOT? Think about how important your freedom is. In the book, Little Little says, ‘wouldn’t you rather be free, just for a day than spend a life time in a cage?’. Do you think this is true? Why? WHY NOT? Draw a picture of your class, as if you could only see the back of everybody’s heads. How many different hair styles would there be in your picture? How many people have different coloured ribbons, bobbles or clips in their hair? Can you imagine what it would be like if everyone was made to look the same? Draw the same picture, this time with everyone’s hair cut so it is exactly the same. CHAIRMAN MAO AND THE CULTURAL REVOLUTION In the past, Emperors ruled China. The Emperor lived in a palace, known as the Forbidden City, and from his palace he would make rules and run the country. Emperors ruled China for thousands of years, right up until 1911. The people of China were poor, starving and unhappy. They felt their Emperor Pu Yi was not helping them. They turned against him, and he was made to give up his power. Two different groups fought to control China in the Emperor’s place. Eventually, in 1949 the Chinese Communist Party took control of the country. Their leader was Mao Zedong – also known as Chairman Mao. In the after-word to their book, Gue Yue and Claire Farrow explain what living in China under Chairman Mao was like: “…When Mao Zedong became leader of the Communist Party and founded the People’s Republic of China in 1949, he introduced socialist thinking, inspired by Russia’s revolution of 1917. Mao was from a poor family in the countryside and did not trust intellectuals – people with knowledge and education. He believed that land should be taken away from rich landowners and that the countryside should be divided into communes – groups of peasants working and living together. He thought everyone should be the same… …The Cultural Revolution, which began in Beijing on the 18 th August 1966, was a further disastrous step in Mao’s thinking; he wanted to punish intellectuals, artists, writers, composers, people from wealthy backgrounds and anyone who criticised him. A few months after the Cultural Revolution started, my mother was accused of being a ‘counter-revolutionary’ and was sent by the Red Guards to the countryside to be ‘re-educated’. She had to dig heavy mud out of a river and work like a peasant farmer in the fields. Every day she was publicly criticised. She remained in the countryside for nearly three years. Only her spirit was not broken.” WHY NOT? Think about what makes you an individual – is it the way you dress? The books you read? The music you listen to? If those things were banned what would be left that is unique to you? Write a poem, using these ideas. Start by listing the things that the government could ban you from doing or having. You could research the rules the Chinese Communist Party put in place to give you some ideas. Next, list the things that can’t be taken away. To get you started, you could include: • An idea you had that you were really proud of • A memory of a time when you felt special • An imaginary friend • A dream that you remember having Imagine a place where you could hide these parts of you – it might be a place like the riverside in the play, where you feel most yourself, or a place you remember from being little, or it might not be a real place at all – it might be somewhere special in your imagination. PHOTOGRAPHS OF CHINA DURING THE CULTURAL REEVOLUTION USED BY THE COMPANY WHEN RESEARCHING THE PLAY
KITES Kites have a long history in Chinese culture – they were probably invented there around 2,800 years ago. In ancient times kites were used for lots of things besides play – for measuring distances, testing the wind, lifting men, signaling and communication. Kites were often decorated with mythological images and legendary figures; some were fitted with strings and whistles to make musical sounds while flying. During the Cultural Revolution traditional, colourful kites were banned, along with literature, non-revolutionary music and fine artistic objects – they were considered symbols of the old China and of elitism. WHY NOT? Create your own kite using a paper bag. With a hole punch, make four holes in the top of the paper bag – you might need to reinforce your holes with tape so that they don’t tear. Thread string through the holes to create two loops, and tie another piece of string to the loops – this will be the handle of your kite. Decorate your kite with pictures that represent freedom - you could use paint, crayons, pens or glitter. You might even want to attach streamers, made from strips of coloured paper. Once the glue and paint are dry, the kite can fly. Hold on tightly to the string handle and run so that the wind catches the kite. As you run, think about what freedom feels like. SKETCH SHOWING THE TWO COSTUMES WORN BY THE MOTHER ALISON DUDDLE WITH THE CAST OF LITTLE LEAP FORWARD FOOD Food has always been an important part of Chinese culture, but during the Cultural Revolution it was at the front of people’s minds for a couple of reasons. The main one is that people were hungry. Mao’s decision to change the way farms were managed meant there was very little food around. Food was rationed, and people could only have a certain amount of rice or flour per week. People really treasured the precious few drops of peanut and sesame oil they might have saved. Also, because it was forbidden to talk about art, music, literature or even love, people really put all their imaginations into creating amazing dishes of food with what they had, and into finding ever more poetic ways of describing it! WHY NOT? Write a recipe where you use the way you describe the food as a kind of code, to represent your feelings. Imagine you love someone but you can’t tell them and so you put all those emotions into the recipe instead. MAO SUITS The lack of individuality during the Cultural Revolution was even reflected in what people wore – many people dressed identically in blue cotton jackets and trousers. They were practical, hard wearing and unpretentious, but the style and details of the jackets also represented principles of the revolution – the four pockets represented propriety, justice, honesty and shame. The three cuff buttons represent the three principles of the people – nationalism, democracy and People’s livelihood, and the five centre buttons represent the five powers of the constitution.
Page 1 and 2: In a creative partnership with Bare
Page 3 and 4: THE CHARACTERS Little Leap Forward,
Page 5: MUSIC Music is very important in LI

LITTLE LEAP FORWARD - Horse + Bamboo Theatre...

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