A New Cantonese Opera
Investigation to Redress a Wrong

Paichang plays, or formulaic plays, are an important part of this southern art form in Cantonese Opera. Its components include special percussive points, set tunes, characters, plots, and stylized movements. In the olden days, a paichang opera was usually the brainchild of the impresario’s assistant, who would pick out certain pieces to form one production. They formed the basis for what is the traditional Cantonese Opera repertory today. Sun Kim-long, himself a famous actor in the genre in Hong Kong, has written a new production entitled Investigation to Redress a Wrong. It follows the traditional paichang form and is therefore made up of segments like The Battle, Seeing the Wife, Reading the Petition, Searching the Palace etc.. The cast includes Lee Lung, Lung Koon-tin, Wong Chiu-kwan and Lui Hung-kwong who will re-enact the spirit of formulaic plays for the contemporary audience.

The story is about Prince Gong running into a gang of robbers while on a hunt, and is rescued by Wang Yingcai and Wenyong, who become the Prince’s new recruits. The ambitious Wenyong fawns over the Prince and becomes his godson while Yingcai is despatched to Shanxi as a general. Wenyong has long harboured lascivious desires for Yingcai’s wife, née He, so on the pretext of seeing Yingcai off, pushes him into the water. Wenyong then visits the Wang family home, makes advances at Madam He and injures Wang’s father in a fight. Family members flee and Wang’s father later dies from his injuries. The county prefect who happens to be on an inspection round takes up the case, but when he confronts Wenyong gets killed in the family home. Madam He flees amid the confusion. On the other hand, Yingcai luckily escaped death, and on his way home, rescues his drowning wife who has thrown herself into the river in desperation. The couple files a plaint with the Imperial Commissioner, Prince Pingnan, who is on an official visit. But Prince Gong wants to cover up for Wenyong, so Prince Pingnan sends Yingcai to search Prince Gong’s palace armed with the gold tablet bestowed on him by the late Emperor that gives him authority to override any other orders and ranks. Wenyong is found hiding underground. Yingcai’s wrong is redressed and the family is re-united.