Cultivating new talent

In the diverse array of theatrical performances at the Macao International Comedy Festival, a unique addition has been the debut of a Cantonese version of the interactive whodunit play, Shear Madness.

Throughout the unfolding drama, a murder takes place, allowing the audience to discern clues, interrogate suspects and engage in solving the most amusing mystery in the annals of crime. The outcome varies each time, prompting many attendees to return repeatedly to witness the mayhem.

Since September 2021, Mahua FunAge has been staging the Chinese adaptation of the whodunit play in cities, such as Shanghai, Zhejiang province's Hangzhou, Hunan province's Changsha, and Tianjin.

The Cantonese version presented at the Macao festival was specially tailored for the local audience. Most of its actors are all from the first comedy-training class, co-organized by Mahua FunAge and the School of Theatre at the Macao Conservatory.

"For this rendition, we wanted to involve local Macao actors," explains Zhang Chen, president of Mahua FunAge and the initiator of the Macao festival. "However, since we were unsure of the number of well-trained actors in the region, we decided to organize a training class. Eventually, we found that young people engaged in local theater were enthusiastic and eager to sign up."

He notes that participating in stage plays allows actors to develop a perception of the audience, enabling them to accurately gauge which comedic elements resonate with them.

To enhance the organization of the comedy festival, the Beijing-based comedy company has founded its Macao branch with plans to establish long-term residency performances in Macao to provide more acting opportunities for local young actors.

"We aim to gradually establish roots in Macao. Cultivating a new generation of actors requires careful and meticulous work," Zhang Chen adds.