The Tang Xianzu Memorial Hall in Fuzhou is a comprehensive cultural venue built to commemorate Tang Xianzu, one of the world’s hundred great cultural figures and a master of Ming‑dynasty drama in China. It is also one of Jiangxi Province’s ten major memorial halls dedicated to historical luminaries.
Opera Trivia | In the world of opera, which role is the most arduous yet receives the smallest share of the performance?
Author:
Source:
Time:
2022-12-30
Main characters and minor roles (the still photo is from Mei Lanfang’s “Xi Shi”)
In the world of opera, there is a type of role that receives the least attention yet performs the most arduous work and is given the fewest lines; if you were to guess, you would surely recognize it as the “bit player.” Yet this humble “bit player,” despite his lowly station, is in fact an indispensable figure in the theatrical ensemble. The roles typically performed by minor actors—known as “running extras”—include standing in the audience, carrying banners, serving as swordsmen, portraying ghostly messengers, playing cloud‑carrying boys, and embodying dragons, tigers, pigs, or dogs. Although these performances lack singing and acting, they involve a wide array of specialized movements—such as the “slanted gate,” the “standing gate,” the “four‑fold pull,” and the “reverse boot”—each with its own distinct name. Consequently, such roles demand considerable theatrical experience; they are not suited to those who take them on without proper training or preparation.
The ensemble members are organized into groups of four, led by a group leader—known in theatrical jargon as the “head flag”—with the other three members following his lead and responding to his directions during the performance. The role of the ensemble in drama is to lend momentum and authority; for instance, when a civil official presides over court, the presence of an ensemble line‑up shouting and clamoring underscores the commanding aura of a single call from the dais, echoed by a hundred assents below.
When supporting actors—those who merely wave banners and shout—are given their due, the scene acquires the momentum of rolling dust, raging winds, and torrential rain. As the old theater tradition puts it: “Three paces span the four seas and nine continents; a thousand troops and ten thousand horses fit within one or two performers.” Though this is largely a matter of performance and characterization, the presence of supporting actors is nonetheless essential to heighten tension and liveliness; without them, even the most earnest staging can fail to achieve the effect of a vibrant backdrop. Thus, in the classical view, it is not unreasonable to regard supporting actors as among the indispensable figures of the stage. Yet, if one examines their treatment, one finds that in the world of theater, supporting roles are almost invariably cast with those who receive little recognition—far removed from the status accorded to any principal character, with meager pay and difficult living conditions.
The extras behind the stage curtain (the still is from Mei Lanfang’s “Exploring the Mother and Returning the Order”)
Today, the average performer in the opera world is proud of his status and looks down on others; not to mention the celebrated stars— even second‑rate roles, if assigned to them as mere extras, are met with a shake of the head and a clear expression of disdain. Meanwhile, the managers of theatrical troupes generally pay little heed to the role of the extra, sometimes even filling it with children. As a result, a perfectly good play is often turned into a chaotic mess, leaving the audience in fits of laughter.
This is something that the head of any theatrical troupe must pay close attention to: even minor roles are still part of the cast, and moreover, they are indispensable. Accordingly, their remuneration should also be appropriately increased, so as to remain true to the spirit of the opera world’s principle of “all share the bounty.”
Source: “Liyan Art Magazine,” Issue 108. Submissions welcome: 363036353@qq.com.
Copyright © Tang Xianzu Memorial Hall of Fuzhou City (Fuzhou Tang Xianzu Culture and Art Center) Technical Support:China Enterprise Dynamics-Nanchangvertical strokeSEO
