Liu Rushi, my Dear

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Following the success of Hu Xueyan, my Dear, HKRep Artistic Director Poon Wai Sum creates another work based on a historical figure, Liu Rushi, a beautiful and talented courtesan from the late Ming and early Qing dynasties widely praised as the top among “Eight Beauties of Qinhuai River”. A patriot who lives with honour, Liu befriends famous scholars in the Jiangnan region, having tumultuous romances with two of the “Three Scholars of Yunjian”, Song Zhengyu and Chen Zilong. Eventually, she marries the sage Qian Qianyi, many decades her senior, which causes quite a stir. When the Qing army overruns the Ming court, Qian’s fate suffers a downturn, but their love for each other remains strong.

Poon Wai Sum uses his unique perspective and finely etched writing, connecting with the core of Chinese cultural sentiment while employing Western theatrical aesthetics. Liu Rushi, my Dear provides an enticingly contemporary portrait of an ancient female figure.