Hamlet - Prince of Denmark - 皇子復仇記 (4)

皇子復仇記或哈姆雷特（Hamlet）莎翁名劇，亦曾多次被拍成電影，亦曾被改編成歌劇、音樂劇、芭蕾舞劇、甚至最近被改編成粵劇。

這個故事很簡單，一位丹麥皇子在外留學，得知父親突然死去，回國時見到父親的鬼魂、才知父親是被他的叔叔謀害的，並奪了皇位及迎娶了他的母親作為皇后，鬼魂父親要皇子替他復仇！從此皇子便面臨一個決定：為父親復仇，但他知道是要復仇便要付出代價，因為復仇只可以是個人的事，那麼便可能要犧牲自己身邊的人如愛人、最好的朋友、母親、甚至要倍了自己的生命！於是皇子便陷入一個非常矛盾的狀態、外表近乎瘋癲，而內心非常悲憤！皇子的角色是這齣劇的最主要人物，他的戲非常重、是從頭一直帶到尾，其它角色都只是配角身份！

所以要將莎翁這劇本改成歌劇或音樂劇等，編劇家都要動腦根把皇子的愛人 Ophelia 的戲加重，在歌劇裡便特別加插了 Ophelia 瘋癲至自殺的那一幕。https://youtu.be/cnCU1_iu7qk

皇后的角色也不弱，她是這齣劇的關鍵人物，不過莎翁沒有太清楚地交代她再嫁丈夫的弟弟的緣因，記得在中學讀此書時，老師解釋過皇后所以這樣做是保持皇子的地位。不過很多人都有疑問，因為在劇本中，她似乎很安享她的地位，沒有看到她有些豪萎屈的表現。

很多已經成功及有名氣的男演員都很渴望演繹 Hamlet 的，因為這個角色能讓他們盡量發揮他們精湛的演技，這個角色是被認為是任何演員的最終挑戰，扮演這角色在許多地方需要顯示這角色的複雜情緒，究竟要復仇抑或不復仇呢？他是面臨人生的一個非常重大的決定，他就要憑他的內心戲來引起觀眾對他的同情，Hamlet 都是一些最好演員夢寐以求的角色。

知名度的演員演繹過 Hamlet、除了上世紀英國著名莎翁名劇演員 Laurence Olivier (羅蘭士奧利花 - 演過電影及舞台劇) 之外：

其他更有 Mel Gibson，Richard Chamberlain，Jude Law，Kevin Kline，Keanu Reeves，還有許多、數不勝數。

年青有為的粵劇編劇家黎耀威在兩年前把 Hamlet 改編成粵劇公演，獲得好評如潮，一位外藉朋友看了，非常讚賞。他在今年四月五及六日再度重演皇子一角，可惜我不在香港，又要錯過這個大好機會欣賞這齣名劇了！

Verdi 的歌劇 Otello - 為何要殺妻?

看了阿光在立網【被遺忘了的中西舊歌星、影星及其歌曲與電影 二】發表以下的一篇文章 (2016-03-29)，尤其是聽了潘秀琼那首：「求你動手要晚一点」，令我想起一些古代丈夫殺妻的故事和歌劇，有些殺妻故事還描述殺妻的過情是怎樣合情合理，但在廿一世紀再查看這些案情，似乎說不通！

戲曲：張巡殺妾饗三軍:
在中國古代，女子沒有地位，安史之亂、張巡死守睢陽、糧盡、張巡殺妾以饗三軍，整件事在表面看來張巡似乎很偉大，為了下屬的存亡寧殺自己愛妾作食物，但用今日的眼光來看這件事，他是一個冷血暴力的粗豪，須知道妻子是一個有血有肉有感性的生命，不是家禽任人宰殺！

戲劇：殺忠妻:
另一名劇「吳漢殺妻」，又名「殺忠妻」、說述王莽篡漢後，把女兒嫁了吳漢，命他捉拿劉秀，吳漢擒獲劉秀後、經母親責駡要他放人、並告之其實王莽才是他殺父仇人、更命吳漢要保存孝義去殺仇人之女、即是他的妻房，雖然結果吳漢不忍下手、而其妻為免其夫為難而自刎，但從今日的社會以愛情至上 (Love conquers all) 來看，為什麽沒有商量的餘地呢？

戲劇＋電影：大雷雨:
那首：「求你動手要晚一点」曲詞沒有說出那丈夫為什麽要殺妻子，不過故事可能是源於蘇聯作家亞歷山大奥斯特洛夫斯基 (Alexander Ostrovsky) 的「大雷雨」，這故事也曾多次被譯成其他文字搬上銀幕，如粵語片「大雷雨」 (1954) 由白燕、張活游，李清主演是其中一部。原本的故事是描述一位美麗少女嫁了一個平庸無能只曉得聽從他母親的丈夫，妻子不甘屈辱於這種生活而愛上了一青年，後來那青年走了，妻子唯有在大雷雨中跳進伏爾加河自殺，這首曲大概是她自殺前求丈夫了結她的生命吧！這是一個時代悲劇、十九世紀的蘇俄社會女子地位低微，又怎能容許女子在婚姻上有選擇自由呢?

小說：克魯採奏鳴曲:
大文豪托爾斯泰 (Leo Tolstoy) 在他寫的短篇小說「克魯採奏鳴曲」(Kreutzer Sonata)，描述十九世紀俄國上流社會的一位花花公子，結婚後大家感到厭倦對方，妻子移情愛上了一位年青的音樂家，丈夫在極度妒忌下殺了妻子，結果無罪釋放。為什麽在那個年代，丈夫有無數情婦是天公地道的事，而妻子有情夫便是犯了彌天大罪，一定要被處死！丈夫已經不愛妻子了，為什麽不能還她自由呢？

(這是一幅 1901 年的名畫、由法國名畫家 Rene-Xavier Prinet 用「克魯採奏鳴曲」題材畫的。)

電影：再世孽緣:
1951 年何里活電影「再世孽緣」(Pandora and The Flying Dutchman)，是描述一位妒忌的丈夫，懷疑妻子對自己不忠而扼殺了她，後來才知道她是無辜的，後悔不矣!

歌劇：「奧賽羅」:
莎士比亞名劇「奧賽羅」(Othello) 亦是說及一位善妒的丈夫中了小人的圈套懷疑妻子對自己不忠而扼殺了她，意大利名歌劇作家 Verdi 把這故事寫成四幕歌劇 (Otello) 在1887 年首演後獲好評。(關於這歌劇的詳細資料，容後再談。)

古代的男士覺得妻子移情別戀對他的面子有損，所以在女子沒有地位的社會，妻子有了情夫便如犯了死罪一般，托爾斯泰的另一小說「安娜卡尼娜」(Anna Karenina) 的安娜是個有夫之婦，因背夫別戀、但卻沒有勇氣去愛，結果跳火車而自殺。但換轉了丈夫在外有情婦的話，卻是理所當然！

其實真正的愛不在乎擁有對方，而是要顧及對方的感受，當情到零時，便是時候灑脫地退離！

正如 1964 年 The Righteous Brothers 唱的那首 "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling"  https://youtu.be/bTvU3BELZEo  
「你已失去了愛的感覺」：當在你的眼中再看不到歡迎我的信號，當你開始批評我做的一些鎖碎小事情，你令我悲痛到只想哭、因為我知道一切美好的已凋零，你已失去了愛的感覺，如今的你已讓這愛的感覺溜走了、溜走了！

在這種情形下，說聲「拜拜」便應各奔前程，何必要變成怨偶呢？聽聞有些夫婦在這樣的環境下仍然勉强一起生活，雖然共住一屋，但互不關心，互不說話，只靠寫字絛 (sticky notes) 貼在雪柜前作構通，現在還可以靠寄短訊或 WhatsApp！這樣實在大家都活得太辛苦了！唉，不過總好過殺了對方！在這裡我要提的是、時至今日、仍然有這樣的悲劇發生，我曾有一位蘇聯國籍的舊同事與丈夫離婚後獨自生活，但她的丈夫還常常纏著她，結果在一個夜晚殺了她，把她棄屍後巷！

NB - 以上的貼文同時登在阿立粵曲網站之談天說地版 - 談談世界各地戲劇、歌劇、音樂劇等…  : http://skytalk.ahlap.net/cgi-bin/p3a_patio.cgi?mode=view&no=1766

************************************************************

日期：2016/03/29 00:52
留言者：阿光

年青的我, 中學時愛聽歐美流行曲, 再加當年流行的國語時代曲, 更買了一些上海年代名曲, 以為是識盡中西名曲, 十足是「井底蛙」思想 年紀大了, 加上綱上資料追查, 原來我是有這麼多曲不認識 曰近聽到一首潘秀琼舊曲, 一首殺妻曲, 聽說是俄羅斯劇作家奥司特洛夫斯基名著《大雷雨》中的插曲 「求你動手要晚一点」 曲詞是: 「顿河的哥薩克飲馬在河流上，有個少年痴痴地站立在門旁，因為他想着怎樣去殺死他的妻子，所以他靠在門邊暗自思量。 他的妻子投身跪倒在他的足下，对她丈夫這樣嬌聲的叫嚷，孩子们的爸爸，我的丈夫哟，我知道你有一副慈善的心腸。 我求你，求你動手要晚一点，要等到更深、夜静的時候，不要把孩子們從夢中驚醒，也免得-驚起了左鄰的街坊。」 多麼悲痛的一首曲, 這支歌在上世纪三、四十年代很流行 求你動手晚一點 潘秀琼  https://youtu.be/ilfL2lZaoRE 學唱粵曲, 與一些師姐妹也很熟,她們談心事也不怕我聽到 一位師妹眼紅紅的説: 「以往在街行路地上有水,他會拉著我手怕我踏上, 那天路上他行前我在後, 踏上了水, 他罵我是蠢死... 」 愛一個人, 婚前婚後, 是否太熟, 不再關心, 也見過友人妻婚後不再溫柔, 大聲呼叫丈夫拿水送茶給牌友, 還得意地表示丈夫是她的家奴 「求你動手要晚一点」, 曲中是唱説丈夫要殺了她, 以上談及那般樣的愛伴, 雖不是在肉身上, 是否也算是在他 (她)心中插刀謀殺 以往介紹過 Kitty Kallen 那首名曲 , 曲詞是唱說要愛人如何的示愛 現今由 Platters 唱, 一樣動人 The Platters - Little Things Mean A Lot (1964) https://youtu.be/Zie4K70DZdk 就算是熱情已冷, 互不再相愛, 也要像那位女作家的態度 她說: 「愛過的男人, 現今雖是不再愛了, 但每一個都是最好的, 我是沒有看錯人」

The Cantonese Opera - The Goddess of Luo (洛神) -

The popular Cantonese Opera - The Goddess of Luo (洛神) is based on a Chinese legend which is loosely based on our Chinese History.

The time when it all happened was the period of the Three Kingdoms (around 220 AD):

Below is a brief outline of the story according to the Cantonese Opera which showed on Dec 29, 2013 at Ko Shan Theatre starring Hong Kong's young Cantonese Opera actors/actresses.  They all gave a brilliant performance, good singing and good acting - very commendable!

The cast:    黃寶萱飾宓妃, 黎耀威飾曹植, 阮德鏘飾曹丕, 梁煒康飾太后, 王潔清飾陳德琼, 黄金堂飾陳喬.

The story exploited the complicated relationship between the 2 brothers, in the Kingdom of Wei.  The 2 brothers were the sons of Emperor Cao Cao, Cao Pi and Cao Zhi.  The story started when the elder brother (Pi), was so jealous of his younger brother (Zhi) because their father, the king wanted to give his throne to Zhi.  

Meanwhile, Zhi was in love with Lady Zhen (also known as Fu), daughter of a captured war-prisoner.  Both the king and queen didn't want Zhi to marry  Fu because they thought a prisoner's daughter would not fit to be the future queen.  They had arranged Zhi to marry a girl of noble birth; and Fu to marry Pi, the elder brother.

On the wedding night, the queen went to see Fu and told her to cut off her love for Zhi and be faithful to Pi.  But Pi was half drunk that night and swore to Fu that he would kill his younger brother one day.  Fu was afraid for Zhi, because Pi had killed 2 other brothers before.  Fu tried to notify Zhi by writing a note to him, asking him to meet her in the garden.  Somehow, Pi found out about the meeting and drew up a plan to destroy his younger brother, Zhi.

Fu met Zhi in the garden and warned him about his elder brother's intention in getting rid of him, but unfortunately their meeting was discovered because Pi took the king and queen to the garden.  They were accused of having an affair although both Zhi and Fu pronounced they're innocent.  The king was so mad at Zhi and changed his will at that moment by giving the throne to Pi.  The queen pleaded for Zhi and eventually, he was banished from the palace.

Having succeeded his father, Pi still tried to find a way to do away with his younger brother.  In reality, Zhi wasn't really interested in becoming the king; he's a poet and he's more interested in literature and art.  He had made a name as the most talented literary figure of the time.

Meanwhile, Pi's Chief Secretary then convinced him to put Zhi's literary talent to a test.  If Zhi failed the test, it would be excuse enough to put him to death.  So Pi asked his wife to write a letter to get Zhi back to the palace.  Knowing Pi's intention, Lady Zhen, Fu wrote a letter without any punctuation.  One sentence went like that: "...Your brother tries to reconcile with you safety guarantee no need to worry come back not dangerous ... (real meaning - Your brother tries to reconcile with you; Safety guarantee - no; Need to worry; Come back not; Dangerous ...)  Of course, the lovesick Zhi saw his lover's hand-writing, he didn't bother to read the letter carefully and rushed back to the palace.

Pi agreed and held audience with Zhi, and he told his brother to compose a poem based on their fraternal relationship, without using the word "brother".  And with one condition - it must be completed within 10 paces.  To his request, Zhi recited:

煮豆燃豆萁，	Cooking beans by lighting a fire with the beanstalks,
豆在釜中泣。	The beans weep in the pot and ask,
本是同根生，	We were born from the same root,
相煎何太急！	Why so eager to destroy one another?

Zhi did it within 7 paces.  Everybody in court clapped for Zhi.  Pi was moved but in his heart, he still wanted his brother dead.  Lady Zhen then showed Pi how wrong he was to want to kill his only living brother by cutting off the handles and one leg of a wine cup, telling Pi that he had already killed two brothers by removing the the left and right handles.  If he should remove one leg, such as killing his only younger brother, then he would not be able to stand on his own, like the wine cup!  Then she jumped into the River Luo to end her life.  Pi now understood how wrong he had been wanting to kill Zhi all this while and finally decided to make up with Zhi.  

The last scene of the opera showed Zhi dreaming of Lady Zhen returning as the Goddess of Luo.