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Repertory Theatre and moved up to become one of the group's principal
actors. During his time with the HKRT, Tse starred in productions
such as Cyrano De Bergerac, 72 Tenants and I Have A Date with Spring.
Last year, he signed on with new theatre/film co. Springtime
Productions, which produced the award-winning sleeper film hit I Have
A Date With Spring and The Mad Phoenix, and also the more recent
stage musical, Pygmalion. Contrary to popular belief that Tse joined
Springtime to make the transition form stage to celluloid, the 34-year
-old says that his contract was only forr the stage productions.
"It's not that I don't like making films - or making money," he says,
"but[if] I have to ask myself which is closer to my heart, it's the
stage. I don't believe that you can put something like this aside for
a few years and tell yourself that you'll go back to it later. It is
very difficult. If I put theatre aside now, I would not be able to go
back."
Instead, Tse has thrown himself back into the theatre world. After
The Mad Phoenix, he will start work on The Umbrella Story for which
he will be the lead as well as the director. At the end of the year,
he will star in another stage classic, The Lover. In the meantime, he
has also finished two films, one of which is King Of Hangzhou, about
another legendary character. Tse is most excited about The Umbrella
Story since it will be the first time that he will be directing , a
skill which he hopes to be able to focus on in future.
In the long run, Tse knows that directing will give him a longer
career lifespan.
" I still like acting but I hope I will be able to do more directing
too. If I could direct one project a year, which I don't have to star
in , it would be ideal. It would also help me look at the plays from
another perspective," he says.
"There are too many things to worry about as an actor. You worry when
you're tired because you must look good. You have to remember your
lines. The director uses his mind; he sits there and observes and
manages."
He hopes to achieve this next year after Springtime Productions signs
on a few more full-time actors for its productions. At the moment, Tse
is the only contracted actor on their books. Next year, Tse will star
opposite veteran film actress Chan Po-Chu, who will be making her
stage debut, as well as her big comeback after more than two decades
out of the limelight. "I'm not nervous about that at all; the
attention will all be on sister Po-chu," he says with glee, glad to
have the responsibility off his shoulders.
After so many years, Tse has full confidence in his acting skills,
which he describes as "well-rounded".
"On stage, this is true," he says. "If I said I was not [good], I
would be lying."
It does not mean that he is unaware of his shortcomings, he adds.
"Singing and dancing," he says soberly. "Those are my weak points,
unless I can turn it into a parody. If we're talking about serious
singing and dancing, I couldn't do it." Although Tse lists comedian
Stephen Chiau Sing-chi as one of his idols, film comedy is another
genre that Tse is reluctant to try even though he concedes that he
has a good grasp of comic timing.
"Nowadays there are no top-rated comedies anymore. And film comedies
are difficult; it's not the same as the stage.
"In films, a lot depends on the individual. You have to have that
rapport with the audience," he says.
"The audience has to be able to think of the actor as a friend. And
it isn't something that you can achieve with just one or two movies.
A lot of comedy film stars come from television work."
By the time the present run of The Mad Phoenix ends on April 25, Tse
will have acted in more that 100 performances of the play. Little
wonders that he is tired of the character. Although the character has
been his major claim to fame, he is not too worried that he will be
typecast forever as the mad, brilliantly eccentric writer.
"I can't help it if people want to stereotype me. I have a lot of
work [lined up] after this. Personally, I don't think I will be
typecast. It's just that the film is very popular and the character
is so special."
By: Winnie Chung
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