Homosexual, particularly in Asia where it is under the great influence of Confucianism, it is a taboo we seldom talk about. Therefore, we actually know little about gay people. However, most of our perceptions are come from the mass media. For instance, the image of homosexual is typically represented as very feminine or people that can easily get AIDS, in other words, they are abnormal. Ironically, no matter in the field of music, film or TVdrama, the proportion of using homosexual as the main theme in Hong Kong is relatively lower than heterosexual. Then, to what extent does the representation from the mass media can accurately reflect the “real” homosexuals?
The Queer Show (攣到爆) was the first main-stream drama to portray a gay leading character. The character is performed by the famous homosexual actor, Joey Leung (梁祖堯). And this drama has gain the heart of lots of the audience and therefore held the 5th re-run again last year. I think the success of this drama is that it offered not only a rare opportunity for the gay men to be one of the few chances they can get to see the images of themselves on stage but also because it aims at exploring the “real” love and sorrow of gay men in Hong Kong.
The main plot of The Queer Show revolves around three stages of gay life – first, when gay men are susceptible to the heart-pounding variety of gay love; second, the unrelenting pursuit of sexual adventure, then third, the emotional settlement that follows.
Different from film or TV drama which merely put emphasis on the typical image of homosexuals, for instance to typify their appearance as sissy or bitchy-liked, the drama did actually mention the hard situation that gay couples are now facing. In one of the scenes, the main character Michael mentioned that he is struggling on whether to disclose his sex orientation or not in workplace as he need to concern he may not be fairly judged or treated by others. Besides, gay couples are not allowed to get marry in Hong Kong in which there is no law to protect their partners. For instance, in the drama, Michael’s partner is once seriously injured. But during emergency, he will never be the one who will be called. It is because they are not married, Michael just means no one to his partner.
Throughout the drama, I am so impressed by a line “If I were a heterosexual, could I be sure that I need not to face any obstacles?” It is so true that no matter what your sex orientation is, it is no guarantee that you can find your true love easily. I think this drama not only speaks for the gay people by trying to represent the true side of gay people but also to talk about the virtue of love. Therefore, no wonder it is so popular because audiences, whether straight or gay, are able to find something they can relate to.
Chung Hiu Lan, Renile 10416151 20855433
Thanks Renile for the first review on theatre performance! To be frank, Joey Leung is one of the very few stage actors that I appreciate a lot. You review is rich with concrete examples (e.g., particular scenes, specific lines) and well integrated with a critical perspective on the construction of homosexuality in media.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you can explore a bit on the difference between film and drama, and to identify the distinctive features of drama as a live performance for real time consumption. Does it offer more opportunities and autonomy for stage actors to handle taboo topics? What kind of relationship is established (more intimate? rather interactive?) between actors and audiences in this context?