'Can Three Make It': Taiwan's classic play revived with young mainland talents
Updated 17:28, 09-Jan-2020
Hong Yaobin
03:16

Three actors, 20-plus roles – just one play.

"Can Three Make It" is a wickedly funny black comedy that was penned by the late Li Kuo-hsiu – also known as Hugh Lee – a legendary actor and theater director from China's Taiwan, and premiered in Taipei in 1987.

The groundbreaking theatrical production has recently received a bold remake by Fan Guangyao, renowned Taipei-based actor and a student of Li.

It starred four up-and-coming actors and actresses from the Chinese mainland: Jia Fengquan, Mao Guosong, Zhao Chunyue and Zhong Xia, the latter two of whom alternate between roles.

Still from the play "Can Three Make It." /Photo by Chai Lin

Still from the play "Can Three Make It." /Photo by Chai Lin

Fan's new version made its debut in September 2019 at Beijing's Longfu Theater where it received rave reviews and rapturous applause as the curtain fell. It then had 20 consecutive performances in November and December.

All three actors work as a real ensemble in the play, playing off each other effectively with the aid of clever direction by Fan.

More than a display of virtuosity

This newest remake of "Can Three Make It" is composed of three stories set in different times and places: a modern office romance, a melodrama in the early stage of the last century, and a suspenseful car accident.

The classic play has three actors play about 30 roles in less than 90 minutes, showcasing the performers' talents to the full.

Actress Zhong Xia in an interview with CGTN. /CGTN Photo

Actress Zhong Xia in an interview with CGTN. /CGTN Photo

Actor Mao Guosong in an interview with CGTN. /CGTN Photo

Actor Mao Guosong in an interview with CGTN. /CGTN Photo

Actor Jia Fengquan in an interview with CGTN. /CGTN Photo

Actor Jia Fengquan in an interview with CGTN. /CGTN Photo

Actress Zhao Chunyue in an interview with CGTN. /CGTN Photo

Actress Zhao Chunyue in an interview with CGTN. /CGTN Photo

"This work is unique as it tells very little about the priors of these roles. It is more like a game, like you extemporarily create some roles and then gather them for the play," actor Jia said, adding, "it's very difficult."

Mao revealed that he has lost several pounds since he joined the project and described each performance as being "a test of physical agility." He went on to say that "It greatly sapped my physical strength as I need to run, jump and even drop to the ground in the play."

For the actors, it is more than a display of pure acting virtuosity. "We only have three actors on stage, and each of us faces great challenges," Mao added.

"We have to equally devote tremendous energy and spiritual strength to it. It is like a triangle and we cannot lose a corner. It requires tacit cooperation."

Still from the play "Can Three Make It." /Photo by Li Yan

Still from the play "Can Three Make It." /Photo by Li Yan

Still from the play "Can Three Make It." /Photo by Li Yan

Still from the play "Can Three Make It." /Photo by Li Yan

Still from the play "Can Three Make It." /Photo by Li Yan

Still from the play "Can Three Make It." /Photo by Li Yan

In the play, Jia plays 12 roles at once while Mao portrays seven; actresses Zhao and Zhong portray nearly 10 characters. What makes the play even more difficult is that it uses only a few props and simple staging meaning that, to a great extent, it is reliant exclusively on the actors themselves.

It's an enormous challenge for the young stage actors, whose average age is about 26.

In one instance, the actresses alternate as a young lady who has lost her pet. In that story, they become a victim's wife, a witness, a girlfriend, a bar hostess – they even act as animals at one point.

"In fact, it is hard to say that one particular role is more difficult to play than another. It definitely tests your ability to switch between different roles," Zhong said.

Stills from the play "Can Three Make It" featuring (L-R) Zhong Xia, Zhao Chunyue, Mao Guosong and Jia Fengquan. /Photo by Chai Lin

Stills from the play "Can Three Make It" featuring (L-R) Zhong Xia, Zhao Chunyue, Mao Guosong and Jia Fengquan. /Photo by Chai Lin

"This play is completely different from those I've participated in before," 25-year-old actress Zhao admitted. "We have to change characters in a second and without any delay so that the audience can keep being into it."

According to Zhao, she gives herself time to learn each character separately. During these periods, she fully creates a character – even one that will be played for only a few minutes – in order to be wholly authentic and believable.

A tribute to Taiwan's theater pioneer

Since its premiere in Taiwan in 1987, "Can Three Make It" has been popular across the island. It was, however, only in 2006 that the classic comedy made its Chinese mainland debut. The shows in Beijing and Shanghai were sellouts but it was only a limited run.

"Our director and assistant director are from Taiwan, and both of them are students of Li Kuo-hsiu. They remade this play in memory of Mr. Li. This work is a tribute to him, which, I think, is amazing," said Mao, adding that the rest of team members are all from the Chinese mainland.

"Can Three Make It" is penned by the late Li Kuo-hsiu – also known as Hugh Lee – a legendary actor and theater director from China's Taiwan.

"Can Three Make It" is penned by the late Li Kuo-hsiu – also known as Hugh Lee – a legendary actor and theater director from China's Taiwan.

"I've wondered if there would be any cultural differences, but actually, there was no such thing at all. We work well together," he added.

Li, born in Taipei in 1955, was the first recipient of the Award of the Arts in the drama category when the award was launched by the regional government in 1997.

He was honored for his works that combine traditional and modern art formats, as well as his efforts to promote the development of performing arts, local theater and professional theater groups.

He founded the Ping-Fong Acting Troupe, one of Taiwan's leading theater groups, in 1986, and has since developed a special training system to cultivate and improve acting across different generations of actors, including the play's director Fan.

The play receives a bold remake by Fan Guangyao, renowned Taipei-based actor and a student of Li.

The play receives a bold remake by Fan Guangyao, renowned Taipei-based actor and a student of Li.

All of the actors admitted that Li and Fan are among the reasons they auditioned for this drama. "I knew Mr. Li in very early stage though didn't know much about him," Jia recalled. "And then I learned more about him. I believe he is a great master of method acting in the Chinese world. 

"Mr. Li's concepts, acting methods changed me a lot. I know how to present the image on stage better. We not only perform the play, we indeed play a game."

Li has a gift for punchy, witty dialogue that often needs tremendous energy from the performers to be delivered correctly, but he's also known for leaving enough space for the actors to utilize their own creativity on stage. A rarity for an auteur of his level.

Mao revealed that Li's acting method is "lifelike," and this helps him find "the self." "In the past, I tried to portray the roles in a way which was sort of unreal, as I perform them. But in this play, I am the person," Mao noted.

'There are the same roots in drama'

Still from the play "Can Three Make It." /Photo by Chai Lin

Still from the play "Can Three Make It." /Photo by Chai Lin

Still from the play "Can Three Make It." /Photo by Chai Lin

Still from the play "Can Three Make It." /Photo by Chai Lin

Li's works are known for being minimally staged and depicting dramatic yet down-to-earth stories that satirize political and social events. "Can Three Make It" is no exception.

Even though all of the stories happen in Taipei, only Zhong, who was an exchange student in Taiwan for one year, has any experience living there.

But the cast say they have no problem understanding and performing "work that is full of Taiwan characteristics."

"It did take some time to learn the key points of Taiwanese comedies well." Jia admitted, emphasizing that "while it is quite Taiwan-style, it still tells ordinary people's stories, and it is about humanity, emotions and relationships, with which we have many connections."

Still from the play "Can Three Make It." /Photo by Li Yan

Still from the play "Can Three Make It." /Photo by Li Yan

Still from the play "Can Three Make It." /Photo by Li Yan

Still from the play "Can Three Make It." /Photo by Li Yan

Zhao and Zhong – who both come from Harbin city in northeast China – mentioned the difficulties of acting in the southern Fujian dialect. This vernacular is widely spoken by people in southern Fujian and in Taiwan and is totally different from Mandarin Chinese.

But this difference isn't a big issue as, on stage, they believe there is enough that can help them present the roles fully and, just as importantly, get the comic timing right.

"To completely change innate things about you, such as your body language, personality and voice, all to make an audience believe you are the character, and believe your story," said Zhong, "there are the same roots in drama."

Reporter: Hong Yaobin

Videographers: Gao Shengwei, Hong Yaobin

Video editor: Zhou Jinxin

Cover image designer: Liu Shaozhen

Producer: Si Nan

Supervisor: Zhang Shilei

(Josh McNally contributed to the story.)