Art and culture﹕"Break a leg!"
【明報專訊】Hi, I am Chattie. I am a cloud. I have been travelling around the world and have seen a lot of people and places. I came back from New York just fifteen minutes ago!
Where did I go? I went to Broadway to watch some musical shows. I watched The Lion King (《獅子王》), Cats (《貓》) and Les Misérables (《孤星淚》). Yeah, I watched Les Misérables again. That was the twenty-sixth time. I really like it a lot. I rained cats and dogs in the theatre when Jean Valjean died. I cried for a long time and I couldn't stop crying even when the blackout came. I guess some people there thought I was "The Phantom of the Theatre" who cried in the dark.
Something funny happened before I watched The Lion King. Before the show started, I had flown backstage and met the actors. I said "break a leg" to them. That cheered all the actors up, except a new one. He looked confused and asked me why I wanted him to break a leg. He said he couldn't act well if his leg was broken. I laughed wildly for a few seconds and told the little boy what "break a leg" meant.
"Break a leg" is used to bless a person who is about to do a performance and wish him good luck. In the past, some believed wishing others good luck would bring them bad luck, and they used this "curse" to bless others. It became a traditional saying. The young actor thanked me with a hug!
After that, I went to the auditorium to see if I could find an empty seat. There weren't any left because the house was full. I decided to leave but the director asked me to stay. He gave me a complimentary ticket so that I could take his seat. I appreciated it but I didn't take the ticket. I flew up and floated two metres under the ceiling. The view was good but I regretted it after a few minutes. I was almost deaf when the house announcement came on. I was next to a set of loudspeakers! I went to a more comfortable place before the house lights were out.
Time flew with the good acting, amazing effects and wonderful storyline. During the curtain call, the actors took off their masks and took a bow. Everyone in the audience gave them a big hand. Some in the audience even gave them a ten-minute standing ovation. The show really brought the house down!
It is quite strange in Hong Kong. Only a few members of the audience would give a standing ovation even if the show is extremely good. I guess they are shy. Next time, if you watch a fantastic show and want to give a standing ovation, be brave and do it! Police won't arrest you for that. See you.
■Vocabulary Words
blackout 舞台燈光熄滅
complimentary ticket 優待券
house lights 觀眾席照明燈
give someone a big hand 大聲喝彩
standing ovation 起立鼓掌
bring the house down 博得滿場喝彩
Jeffrey Chan
˙An artist, theatre director and English teacher.
˙He is interested in breaking frames in his living, direction and teaching.
˙A co-founder of Sparky Creative.
Travis Ying
˙An artist, theatre stage designer, illustrator and registered teacher.
˙He is interested in spotting arts in daily life and he cannot stop sketching at meetings.
˙The creator of Chatties and Friends, a co-founder of Sparky Creative.
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