A formulaic performance set unique to Canto-opera. It depicts the process where someone on the horns of a dilemma makes a difficult decision after battling through inner conflicts. The performance matches the rhythm of percussion instruments: sometimes passionate, sometimes tardy, sometimes still, sometimes stretching. It expresses, through body movements, the inner feelings of vexation and bewilderment, and the mental journey, bright or dark, of weighing the pros and cons at length and finally making up one’s mind. The jargon is “Seoi-bo-long” (literally “waves”).
The year 2022 marks the 65th anniversary of the Canto-opera classic Floral Princess. In the aftermath of the unprecedented pandemic, life is being rebuilt both on stage and off stage. Revelation of the Floral Princess – “Bloodshed is still visible after a year of vicissitudes”. The protagonists of this story brought to action the familiar line “Do force your way to death”.
粵劇獨有表演程式。人物面對兩難，經歷思想交戰後孤注一擲的過程。表演配合鑼鼓節奏，時而激昂、時而緩慢、時而停頓、時而連綿；經過形體表現出苦惱、困擾等內在感受以及權衝利害、狠下決心等陰暗與光明的心路歷程。行內術語稱為「水波浪」(「浪」音long2)。
2022是香港經典《帝女花》65周年，遇上世紀「後疫情」，戲裡戲外劫後啟航；帝女花啟示錄 ──「風雨經年尚帶黃」，劇中主人翁身體力行「撐開一條生死路」。