RED BOAT TROUPES AND CANTONESE ... - University of Georgia

would think about my teacher Yum.” I asked her to explain the major differences between
playing man and woman. She said that the make-up process and the costume were very
different. Having a padded shoulder made her feel more like a handsome literate scholar. She
continued, “Voice, look, and art technique” (sing sik ngai) are what determine the quality of
performance; hard work is the most important.” 150 Tse is a famous television star of TVB. She
appeared in sequels and has had frequent lead-roles in Cantonese opera.
Figure 9. Ms Tse Suet Sum at the concert “Opera of Two Worlds.”
Prior to the establishment of the Republic in 1911, most opera performance troupes were
all-male troupes. In these performances, almost all female roles were played by men. Except for
a few all-female troupes whose ban zyu (owner) was female, performers on the red boats were all
male. Learning women’s gait in movement, singing, and putting on make-up and dressing were
the main concerns of these cross-gender apprentices. Mr. Mei Lan Fan, a well-known female
role player who performed in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco in prewar time, was a
150 Telephone interview March 4, 2010.
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