The grand play prepared by the production team, featuring ten characters, had a simple plot but was incredibly rich in content.
Everyone had a chance to perform.
Moreover, the conflicts were complex, with numerous climaxes and constant suspense.
The most brilliant part was that the pre-arranged character images for each person had their prototypes, which made everyone suddenly understand.
No wonder they had to maintain that image every day.
It turned out it was all for this grand play.
In fact, the characters to be portrayed in the play were even more complex than the roles maintained in daily life.
Take Chen Feng, for example.
He usually maintained the image of a Crossdresser, but in this New Year's Day play, his true identity was actually a spy.
An infiltrator deep within the enemy ranks.
And his superficial identity was actually the star performer in a opera troupe.
A male performer playing a female role.
Therefore, he not only had to learn to sing opera, but also had to display the qualities a spy should possess.
What about the others?
Li Jiayi’s usual image was that of a tough guy, because he was to play a general from the War of Resistance.
This required him to have that kind of spirit and energy.
He had to be familiar with the character images of the War of Resistance era.
Like A Yi, she usually maintained the image of a tomboy.
As a result, in the play, she had to act as a killer.
The ruthless kind.
A butcher who only recognized money, not people, had no principles, and no sense of national righteousness.
The difficulty was even greater.
Chu Ning was also a female role.
Her infatuation was indeed with Chen Feng.
So she also needed to learn a bit of opera singing, and even learn the movements and mannerisms of an opera performer.
Erma was a high-ranking Japanese puppet official.
She had to be domineering, arrogant, overbearing, and display anti-social, anti-human characteristics and a sinister, vicious side.
Xu Nuo was a shut-in, an ordinary commoner.
So his performance was relatively simple; he only needed to show weakness and timidity.
Tao Yilun’s role was also very exciting.
As the younger brother of Yu Zhiwen, a great merchant from Jiangnan, he was usually autistic, but he was a person with extremely high intelligence.
He had justice in his heart.
For justice, he could disregard sacrificing his own life.
Perhaps in the heart of an autistic person like him, life isn't that important; what's important is a kind of almost blind faith.
Yu Zhiwen, the narcissist, played the great merchant of Jiangnan.
Relatively simpler.
Just some external manifestations were enough.
Han Tao played a traitor in the play.
And his sycophantic target happened to be Erma, the high-ranking Japanese puppet official; for Erma, he was willing to betray his countrymen.
His performance was also relatively simple.
Finally, there was Tang Xin.
A sickly young lady.
She was usually a pampered young lady, living a life of ease under her parents' protection.
But who would have thought that she, having returned from studying abroad, possessed a red heart.
So, at the critical moment when success was almost within reach, she stepped forward, leading her servants and retainers to block the enemy's pursuit with their flesh and blood.
Ultimately allowing Li Jiayi to successfully escape the city.
Everyone was classic.
Everyone was outstanding.
This was a wonderful play with flesh and blood, tears and laughter.
The production team poured a lot of effort into it.
They also planned to let the champions of the top ten national sub-districts become famous through this play, showing the entire nation the production team's star-making ability.
And by the way, lay the groundwork and attract sponsors for the next season's premiere.
...
In the morning.
After the mobilization meeting, everyone knew their character images and received the corresponding script materials and lines.
From now on, there were only three days to familiarize themselves with the lines.
And to uncover the true essence of the target character.
For Chen Feng and Chu Ning, they had to learn opera singing and movements.
For Erma, she had to learn a few Japanese phrases.
For A Yi, she had to start wirework, and use her dance foundation to learn some movements a killer should have.
Everyone else also started to get busy.
Everyone's role had depth.
If they couldn't figure something out, they would secretly call back to ask their team, their teachers, their directors, whoever they could ask.
At the same time.
When Chen Feng took the script, two voices successively sounded in his mind.
“Ding, the host’s target role ‘spy’ is detected. Congratulations to the host for becoming a true spy.”
“Note: Once the host activates the spy attribute, the host will be granted ‘disguise ability,’ ‘meticulous thinking,’ ‘cryptography knowledge,’ ‘firearms proficiency,’ and ‘medical knowledge.’”
“Ding, the host’s target role ‘male performer of female roles’ is detected. Congratulations to the host for becoming a true master of male performers of female roles.”
“Note: Once the host activates the male performer of female roles attribute, ‘opera singing mastery,’ ‘various singing styles,’ and ‘true skills in singing, reciting, acting, and martial arts’ will be granted.”
Chen Feng smiled.
One role experienced three types of role content; it was simply a huge gain.
Isn't this more convenient than participating in a movie and playing a main character?
It neither wastes time nor expands the experience of roles.
Awesome!
Especially getting the spy role, this thing is somewhat powerful.
He can even have ‘firearms proficiency’ and ‘medical knowledge.’
Very impressive, very impressive.
...
That afternoon.
Everyone officially began to familiarize themselves with their roles.
Those with scene partners started finding their partners to rehearse lines and find the feeling.
For example, Chen Feng and Chu Ning.
The two of them initially had a scene in the opera troupe.
This was the early stage, Chu Ning hadn't decided to betray Chen Feng yet, so their relationship was considered ‘affectionate,’ even applying makeup for each other.
This scene required a bit of intimacy.
Chu Ning had called Xiao Si to ask her how to approach this role.
Xiao Si was actually very disgusted by this kind of role.
Why?
Because Chu Ning was actually a negative character.
Destroying the other party when one cannot have what one desires.
It would make people feel disgusted.
But from another perspective, this kind of role actually provides the greatest room for an actor's growth.
You have room to play.
Unlike a shut-in character like Xu Nuo, who is greedy for life and afraid of death and ultimately betrays his countrymen; that kind of performance is actually very simple, very shallow, with no room for depth.
Therefore, after much consideration, Xiao Si's advice to Chu Ning was to follow her heart.
Not to be cowardly.
But to follow her heart.
When acting opposite Chen Feng, she must not be cowardly.
No matter how good his past achievements were, she must suppress him on stage, otherwise the final championship might be taken by Chen Feng.
So, how to follow her heart?
Xiao Si said it herself: “You admire Chen Feng in the play; you might as well have three parts more admiration for him in real life. I'm not encouraging you to actually fall in love with him, you understand what three parts admiration means?”
“You've cleaned his room for more than half a month; you should understand him somewhat.”
“Turn all these things into an emotion.”
“This way, when you act opposite him again, you'll easily resonate.”
“Remember, acting with true feelings is what makes it easiest for the audience to empathize.”
“And your secret is, the deeper the love, the deeper the hate. This way, when you can't have it, you'll think of destroying it.”
Chu Ning was uncharacteristically silent after hearing these words.
At that moment, on her face, in her eyes, there was actually the same emo state and a deeply hidden sadness as when she sang “《a diao》” back then.
So, does it need to be a true emotional outpouring?
Should she talk to Chen Feng before the rehearsal?