Cecilia Cheung is a poor choice to play songbird Zhou Xuan
IF you're home on a Saturday night watching this drama serial, you must either be a big fan of Zhou Xuan, a supporter of Hong Kong actress Cecilia Cheung (above) or actor Ambrose Hsu, a keen follower of films set in old Shanghai, or just bored.
This new China biopic chronicles the golden years of the Shanghainese entertainer's life, from age 16 to 28.
It is Cecilia's first TV series and was filmed last year before her marriage to Nicholas Tse and her pregnancy.
Hong Kong's TVB also produced a serial called Song Bird in 1989, catapulting Nnadia Chan to household fame as she entranced homeviewers with her rendition of Zhou Xuan.
This version from China also reminds me of Hong Kong actress Maggie Cheung, in the role of another legendary Shanghainese actress Ruan Lingyu in Stanley Kwan's film Center Stage.
Maggie's re-enactment of Lingyu was a sensitive one, she being somewhat of a legend herself.
But Cecilia is not in the same calibre, even though she had a bit part in Center Stage too - and you thought she might have learnt a thing or two from watching Maggie.
This drama starts with Zhou Xuan sold and adopted into the Zhou family as a young toddler.
The child actress playing a young Zhou Xuan is a joy to watch as she endearingly brings across the naivete and bittersweet vulnerability of her humble upbringing.
When Cecilia takes over as the teenager Zhou Xuan, her befuddled and glassy-eyed re-enactment is bewildering as she makes Zhou Xuan seem silly.
There she goes tottering after her best friend Zhao Hua (He Lin) like a little puppy lost. Then she's crying and laughing all at once when she discovers she is adopted.
Little wonder that Zhou Xuan's son, Zhou Wei, who was the art consultant, was reportedly unhappy with the script, the depiction of Zhou Xuan, and the choice of actress to play his late mother.
After all, Zhou Xuan was hailed as the Golden Voice and had made a name for herself with classic songs like Shanghai Nights, Four Seasons Song and Wandering Songstress.
So I can imagine Junior's horror in watching Cecilia - whose own singing voice is a weak squeak - miming to these songs later on in the serial, pretending she's the ethereal Zhou Xuan.
The only draw is the cinematography. Award-winning Cheung Suk Ping (known for his work in Days Of Being Wild and In The Mood For Love) is at the helm as art director, capturing the beauty of 1930s Shanghai.
Regardless, Zhou Xuan is strictly for Zhou Xuan fans only.
http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/guide/stor ... 13,00.html
