新加坡华族文化中心与南华潮剧社将联合呈现一部由中国著名剧作家罗怀臻创作、广东潮剧院资深导演吴殿祥（中国）改编并作曲，上海戏剧学院表演系副教授吕岩（中国）执导，新中两国演员联袂演绎的创新潮剧《典妻》。

《典妻》讲述了中国民国初年一个贫困农村家庭发生的令人心碎的悲剧。在民国初年的山区农村，一对贫苦夫妻因遭受天灾而无法交纳地租。地主则以此为借口企图霸占妻子。为了维持生计和治病，丈夫不得不将妻子抵押给地主，承诺三年后归还。

潮剧界因传统剧目过时及创新尝试失败而备受批评。为了振兴这一艺术形式，《典妻》强调在保持潮味的同时适应当代观众口味。它采用潮剧风格改编的剧本，保留潮州方言、俚语和表达方式以吸引当地观众。声乐风格遵循潮剧传统，同时融入现代音乐元素。《典妻》注重角色深度，平衡传统与当代戏剧写实及舞蹈元素，增强表现力。视觉呈现整合舞台设计、灯光和多媒体，营造视觉效果引人注目而又精致，增强观众沉浸感。通过传统与现代偏好的结合，《典妻》旨在振兴潮剧，确保其在当今文化景观中的相关性和吸引力。

Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre and  Nam Hwa Opera are presenting an evolutionary Teochew Opera “The Pawned Wife”, written by the renowned playwright Luo Huaizhen from China, adapted composed into Teochew Opera by Wu Dianxiang, Senior Director of Guangdong Chao Opera Theater (China) and director by Lv Yan, Associate Professor of Department of Performance from Shanghai Theatre Academy (China).

“The Pawned Wife” tells the story of a heart-wrenching tragedy that happened to a poor rural family in the early years of the Republic of China.

The Teochew opera scene faces criticism for lacking appeal due to outdated traditional repertoires and unsuccessful attempts at innovation. To revitalize the art form, “The Pawned Wife” emphasizes maintaining Teochew flavor while adapting to contemporary audience tastes. It employs a Teochew Opera style adapted script, preserving Teochew dialect, slang, and expressions to engage local audiences. Vocal styles adhere to Teochew opera traditions while incorporating modern musical elements. “The Pawned Wife” prioritizes character depth, balancing tradition with contemporary theatrical realism and dance elements for enhanced expressiveness. The visual presentation integrates stage design, lighting, and multimedia to create visually striking yet sophisticated effects, enhancing audience immersion. By embracing tradition while catering to modern preferences, “The Pawned Wife” aims to rejuvenate Teochew opera, ensuring its relevance and appeal in today’s cultural landscape.