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If you appreciate good theatre featuring actors with rich life experiences, here’s a recommendation for you: this November, 43 golden ager actors with an average age of nearly 66 years from the Transformational Multi Performing Arts Programme for Golden Agers, will team up with veteran theatre director Desmond Tang to bring an adaptation of The Libation Bearer, a famous Greek tragedy by Aeschylus to the stage.
With a capacity of 439 seats over two levels, the theatre has 300 more seats than any of the other venues the group has performed at, presenting a significant challenge to the actors.
Desmond is an experienced director and playwright who has worked in Hong Kong and South Korea. He accepted the invitation of Brenda Chan, the Director of Arts’ Options, who anticipates that this new partnership will bring new elements to surprise the audience.
Brenda explains why the group decided to perform The Libation Bearers. She was in the audience for a table read-performance of the adaptation by Desmond. Even though there were no makeup, costumes or lighting, she was blown away by the sheer dramatic and poetic power of the play. Yet she also understood the difficulties in adapting a play that involves over 40 actors. And while some of the golden ager actors have by now accumulated a few years of experience, this will be their first time performing in a grand theatre. Brenda also understands the importance of what this performance symbolises: “I want to take this opportunity to prove to more people that, no matter what your age is, you can still realise your dreams and explore new ground.”
The play depicts the murder of King Agamemnon by his wife Queen Clytemnestra and her lover. His death is avenged by their children Orestes and Electra at the god Apollo’s bidding. Torn between filial duties to his parents and having committed matricide, Orestes is driven to near madness towards the end of the play.
Hazel, who plays Princess Electra, has participated in two previous productions by Arts’ Options: L’Omeo & julieYIP Shake up Shakespeare and New Elderly Player 22, “compared to these two productions, which had more contemporary settings, playing a major character in an adaptation of a Greek tragedy represents an entirely new and more daunting challenge to me.” To prepare for the role, Hazel is watching other Greek drama performances online and observing the performances of other actors. “One of the performances I watched was a 1983 production in English, and all the actors were wearing masks; the other one was from 2014 and had a more modern setting,” says Hazel, adding that both were loyal adaptations of the original material. “Greek drama was an alien concept to me before, so I gained a lot after watching these performances.”
“Performing in front of more than 400 spectators can be nerve-racking”, says Hazel, who is now working in the trading industry. In the role of Electra, she has a lot of lines to memorise, including a few minute-long monologues. “This really puts a lot of pressure on the actor,” she says. “Luckily, we have a very experienced director who has taught us things like how to be in touch with the role and even what voices to use to better express ourselves. Personally, I feel I need to work even harder in rehearsals.”
Hazel says she is grateful for the opportunity given to them by Brenda, whom she likens to a seashell collector. “I’m just lucky to be one of the seashells in her collection.”
A drama veteran with over 30 years of theatre experience, Desmond is tasked with helming the production. When asked about what sets this apart from his previous works, Desmond first points to the actors’ age, as this is his first time working with an all-golden ager cast. Nevertheless, he is impressed by their dedication and passion for theatre. “In the past I’ve worked mostly with actors with years of professional training,” says Desmond. “What makes this time particularly interesting is that the actors all have a lot more life experience than I do, yet they are all very humble and willing to listen to my opinion.”
To the director, the most challenging part is the high standard the actors set for themselves, despite most of them having limited stage experience. As for Desmond, his main demand is that the actors need to deliver their lines naturally and believably, which is in contrast to what they have been taught in their training over the past few years.
Overall, what Desmond admires most about this group of senior actors is their passion, eagerness to learn and creativity, which more than make up for what they lack in memory and physical ability when compared to younger actors. They also tend to ask more questions. “Even if they only have small parts, they ask me about the best ways to portray the characters on stage.”
As the date of the premiere at Shouson Theatre draws near, Desmond has been reminding the actors about the importance of memorising their lines and taking every detail seriously. “Working with these senior actors has been an unforgettable experience,” he says. “I want to thank them for their persistence in chasing their dreams. Even if these dreams don’t necessarily come true, it’s the process that matters. I have faith in them.”
