Hong Kong’s iconic Sunbeam Theatre has weathered over half a century of immense changes as the city grew and developed around it – but no more, as we are mere days away from the theatre finally shutting its doors for good. The old-school theatre dedicated to the art of Cantonese opera held its last open day on February 22, putting on mini performances and allowing the public to view previously unseen areas of the theatre. As we approach Sunbeam’s final curtain call, here’s a look back at its history and what makes this venue so special in Hong Kong.
A quick recap of Chinese and Cantonese opera
Chinese opera dates back to the 13th-century Song dynasty, but has its roots in an earlier form of musical theatre called Canjun opera from the Later Zhao dynasty, which was then refined during the famously artistic Tang dynasty. Other defining characteristics of Chinese opera – such as rhyming, rhythmic singing, and the tradition of performing in the vernacular instead of flowery poetic verses that are more inaccessible – were gradually shaped during the Song to the Ming dynasties.
By the Qing dynasty, the most well-known types of Chinese opera were Peking opera performed in the north of China, and Cantonese opera, known as ‘yuet kuk’ (粵曲; Cantonese songs) instead of ‘xiqu’ (戲曲; theatre songs) as used in other parts of China. But fast forward to the latter half of the 20th century, and Chinese opera suffered a huge blow when Mao declared its stories of traditional folklore and literary works as ‘backward thinking’, and largely eradicated the original xiqu art form during the Cultural Revolution.
Luckily, Cantonese opera was largely ignored by the British colonial government in Hong Kong, where the art was allowed to flourish unchecked. The older generations will still remember the days when yuet kuk used to be the dominant form of Chinese entertainment as the silver screen and TV were nowhere near as accessible for the general public.
Sunbeam Theatre and its significance
Chinese opera used to be performed by travelling opera troupes without permanent bases, but by the 20th century, theatres started opening to cater to the demand for entertainment in Hong Kong. Sunbeam Theatre was established in September 1972 by a Shanghainese troupe that emigrated here, initially starting off as a movie theatre before they gradually gave way to daily performances by Cantonese opera troupes.
Shanghai had also boasted a developed Cantonese opera culture back then, and these theatrical shows grew in popularity with the Hong Kong public. Along with other theatres in the city, Sunbeam Theatre played a role in the rise of several Cantonese opera singers who gained prominence across Asia. These include the legendary Pak Sheut-sin, most famous for household-name operas such as Princess Cheung Ping, The Peony Pavilion, and Dream of the Red Chamber; Yam Kim-fai, the equally popular opera performer who was famous for playing male roles and had a lifelong friendship and collaboration with Pak; Koi Ming-fai, another public favourite who specialises in playing male roles; and even Liza Wang Ming-chuen, a veteran Hong Kong actor who also practises Cantonese opera.
After World War II, the film industry started picking up and rapidly overtook the demand for live Cantonese opera shows. Its popularity further declined after the rise of the television in the 1960s, and once-fashionable theatres around Hong Kong – such as Lee Theatre, Hong Kong Grand Theatre, Tai Ping Theatre, and more – gradually ceased to exist. Before the announcement of its closure, Sunbeam Theatre was the only remaining independent theatre dedicated to Cantonese opera in Hong Kong.
The future of Sunbeam Theatre and Cantonese opera
Well, sadly, there’s not much future to speak of for the opera venue. The Sunbeam Theatre was purchased by the Island Evangelical Community Church (Island ECC) last February, and is set to close its doors permanently on March 3.
This sale covers the ground floor of Kiu Fai Mansion in North Point through to the sixth floor, as well as the rooftop of the building. The space will become the new permanent home for the English-speaking church, which is currently based in Quarry Bay. When Time Out Hong Kong got in touch with the church, a spokesperson said they ‘look forward to working with the local community to honour its cultural heritage’, but made no comments regarding whether any parts of the Sunbeam Theatre will be retained.
Should you wish to watch Cantonese opera going forward, you’d have to go to Yau Ma Tei Theatre, the new wing of the Ko Shan Theatre, West Kowloon’s Xiqu Centre, or catch one of the temporary bamboo stage productions that crop up during Chinese festivals. There are still options for enjoying this old art form, but when the lights turn off at Sunbeam Theatre, Hong Kong will lose its last remaining independent Cantonese opera venue – another piece of our cultural history relegated to the dusty halls of fond memories.
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