[Explanation] In Fu'an City, Fujian Province, whenever there is a special performance of the curtain show, it will attract everyone to watch it.
The mantle opera in Fu'an City, also known as "puppet opera", is popular in towns and villages and is an original performance mode.
Lei Futuan is the non-genetic inheritor of this skill. He has been devoted to the inheritance and protection of the mantle opera for more than 40 years.
A few days ago, a reporter from China News Agency interviewed Lei Futuan in Fu'an.
[Same period] Lei Futuan, the non-hereditary successor of Fuan's mantle opera skills
There are about 50 puppets in these two boxes. Generally, we will have 20 to 30 puppets for a performance. Tonight, we have to pick up the puppets in this box, and put the useless ones at home. First of all We all have to be prepared.
[Explanation] At 4:30 in the afternoon, Lei Futuan began to organize the props for the evening performance in the hall at home.
This is also an indispensable part of his performance before each performance.
There are more than fifty puppets of different characters in the large and small boxes, and Lei Futuan carefully placed them.
The 60-year-old Lei Futuan began to learn the curtain play with his master at the age of 16.
In addition to being good at performing, he is also very good at making puppets.
[Same period] Lei Futuan, the non-hereditary successor of Fuan's mantle opera skills
The puppets are also ugly after birth. I do the color painting myself. The clothes are also sewn by ourselves. The design is based on the size of our own hands. We design the clothes of our own puppet puppet. It needs two layers on the outside and one layer on the inside. Layers, and some even have three layers, making it a lot of trouble.
[Explanation] Lei Futuan told reporters that the uniqueness of the mantle opera is that it is a one-man show, which integrates blowing, pulling, playing and singing.
An artist has a pair of performers, no matter whether it is big or small, literary and martial arts, clean and ugly, blowing, playing, singing, and playing, all rely on the artist's hands, feet, mouth, and tongue to use the hands, feet, mouth, and tongue.
In his opinion, the most important things in mantle play are the story, puppets and dubbing; if a good play is to be attractive enough, it must first have a good story.
[Same period] Lei Futuan, the non-hereditary successor of Fuan's mantle opera skills
The performance is mainly based on rap, so it is said that one person has multiple roles, and the front and back are operated by one person. We must understand the characteristics of each actor, walking and talking, emotions, sorrows, and joys, in the palm of our hands, in order to understand it. When the characteristic performance is performed, it can be heard and seen in the audience.
[Explanation] At 6 pm, Leifu Group loaded the packed performance props onto a tricycle and transported them to the performance location.
During the process of setting up the stage, people continued to gather around.
Lei Futuan sat on the stage, which was less than one meter wide and half a meter high. He used his hands, feet, and tongue to interpret the ups and downs of the plot in the authentic Fu'an dialect.
His theatrical vocals are sometimes cadenced, sometimes prioritized.
On the stage, with the skills of fingers, palms and wrists, the puppets of different characters came to life in Lei Futuan's hands, showing fun and agility.
The accompaniment used in these performances is also controlled by himself.
[Same period] Lei Futuan, the non-hereditary successor of Fuan's mantle opera skills
One person operates the front desk and the backstage, and the front desk puppets are usually in the range of twenty to thirty in a performance.
[Explanation] In the interview, Lei Futuan said that after a long cultural accumulation, the mantle opera has become a treasure of Chinese local art.
Because of his love for the performance of the mantle opera, he has persisted until now. He also hopes that more young people will join the inheritance of the mantle opera and let it be passed down from generation to generation.
[Same period] Lei Futuan, the non-hereditary successor of Fuan's mantle opera skills
Today's young people generally don't speak the local dialect, and some want to learn but can't learn it when they are old. If they learn, it will be very difficult. If they are interested, I will definitely teach them. I also hope that there will be future generations. , We have carried forward our intangible cultural heritage from generation to generation.
Reporter Wu Shengwei reports from Ningde, Fujian
Responsible editor: [Luo Pan]