One of the highlights of our CNY this year took place in the theatre when we had the opportunity to go catch SRT’s The Little Company’s latest mandarin production, The Three Billy Goats Gruff 三只山羊.
I had enjoyed the English version tremendously and was looking forward to seeing how this show would translate into Mandarin. Would the Mandarin version still be able to convey the wit, drama and comedy of the original script?
The answer is YES, though in a slightly different way. I think the beauty of the Chinese language is that many words sound alike yet have vastly different meanings. Admittedly, this is a source of some grief when I was studying the language! But in literature and theatre, this often translates into lots of clever word play which can be hugely entertaining.
The storyline was identical to the English version, featuring the Three Billy Goats Gruff, here named 老大，小二 and 羊 Meh-Meh (羊咩咩). They are belong to sweet but absent-minded Little Bo-Frilly, aka 没恼妹. As the grass around them starts to turn brown as days pass without rain, they slowly realise that they are running out of food. Desperate, they realise that, however improbably, the grass on the other said of the valley is an enticing lustrous green. Unfortunately, the get to the other side of the valley would require them to cross a bridge under which lives a big scary troll (怪兽) who loves to feast on goats! Can they beat the troll and get across safely to graze?
This play is performed entirely in Mandarin, and in this case, I think my children benefitted from having watched the show in English previously. They could still remember the storyline and were able to follow along even though they didn’t understand everything that was spoken. The down side was that Mei remembered the troll from before and kept dreading his appearance. She didn’t relax till he came to his untimely end.
I personally was very impressed with the Mandarin script, which accurately translated the original English lines, yet very cleverly incorporated lots of Chinese puns and word play that had those which understood chuckling along. I was particularly amused when the 怪兽 introduced his relatives as 三姑 and 六婆 that he was relieved had been turned into stone as he no longer had to put up with their 三姑六婆 (ie. gossipy) ways! Oh, what I wouldn’t give to be that fluent in the language!
A lot of the dialogue flew above my kids’ heads but Noey could appreciate the humour when I explained it to him. This is one of the reasons I appreciate Mandarin plays like these as it gives the opportunity for children the opportunity to see the language come to life.
One thing I did miss in this version was the tripp-trapping sounds from the tap dance routines of the English version. It’s a pity they didn’t see to retain it as I thought it was very appropriate for the goats. Nevertheless, It was a great show for adults and kids alike, full of songs, dancing and antics that would keep the whole family entertained.
If you, like me, are always looking for an opportunity to let your children be immersed in and experience Chinese in a fun way (and not through more and more worksheets!), then this show is definitely for you. Don’t miss it!
The Three Billy Goats Gruff 三只山羊
Ticketing and Show Information
Season: 18 Feb to 25 March 2016
Venue: KC Arts Centre — Home of SRT
Performance Times: 10am (Mon to Fri), 11am and 2pm (Sat)
Ticket Prices: $28, $25 (Weekdays), $48, $38, $35 (Weekends and Public Hols)
Duration: Approximately 60 mins with no interval
Booking: Through Sistic at http://www.sistic.com.sg/events/billy0416 or calling 6348-5555
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