[2024.08.13] 78 YEAR OLD SCREENWRITER RAYMOND TO CROSSES OVER INTO CANTONESE OPERA AND ART

Raymond To says that he is very happy everyday, everyone is treating him very well. Life now is the most enjoyable.

Gardner Tse brings to life the arrogance and the pain of being unappreciated of the Mad Phoenix

Raymond To has been painting for 60 years and held an art exhibition in Hong Kong in 2019

Raymond To has been in the business for half his life, in 2022 he received the Hong Kong Screenwriters Guild honorary award

At age 6 Raymond To provided his voice to radio plays and was dubbed the "broadcasting prodigy".
courtesy of mingpao.com

The legendary playwright Raymond To Kwok Wai turns 78 today (13th). He has created more than 100 stage plays and films and is very popular. The 1992 stage play I HAVE A DATE WITH SPRING (NGOR WOR CHUN TIN YAU GOR YEUK WUI) and the 1993 THE MAD PHOENIX (NAM HOI SUP SAM LONG) since their premieres to now, people are still asking when would they have return engagements. To Kwok Wai resisted a return run for THE MAD PHOENIX, saying that Tse Kwan Ho performed very well, left a good memory and put an end to it. He joked, "Many people have asked me, 'Are you the Mad Phoenix?' I replied, 'Of course not, I can very easily submit for very little pay." To Kwok Wai joked that he expressed his grievances, because when he was writing a movie script he encountered a "bad guy"; in order to complete the work, his dignity was compromised and he accepted the situation. He said that he no longer seeks breakthroughs in stage plays, but writes Cantonese operas and holds art exhibitions to expand into different fields. This momet is the most enjoyable and carefree for him. In his free time he gets a ride for 2 bucks, and sits in a diner to observe the slice of life.

To Kwok Wai (To Sir) participated in Radio Television Hong Kong and Rediffusion Radio drama when he was 6 years old. He was known as the "broadcasting prodigy". He also worked as a teacher in night schools and secondary schools, and was in charge of the school drama club. At that time, he was already an amateur screenwriter. Later, the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre selected his short play "Ball" as the Outstanding Creative Script, and he was invited to participate in screenwriting work. To Sir said, "I have written many scripts. I HAVE A DATE WITH SPRING and THE MAD PHOENIX were the most touching. In the past, society didn't pay attention to screenwriters; but everyone knew that these two were my works. I don't know where the blessing comes from, but people still like them very much now. Some people are hard-working and talented, and the times make the heroes. Every drama must be in the right place at the right time with the right people. Just like with THE MAD PHOENIX, in the society in the 1990s many people felt that they were underappreciated or unappreciated at all; so criticizing the boss was the most exciting. The character in THE MAD PHOENIX fit this atmosphere perfectly, Ho Jai (Gardner Tse Kwan Ho) performed very well; with impressive looks, arrogance, and pain of being unappreciated, he was in full command of his performance."

The Hong Kong Repertory Theater premiered THE MAD PHOENIX in 1993 and performed it for more than 150 times in different places. It was adapted into a movie of the same name in 1997. To this day, the Tse Kwan Ho played character is still popular among drama fans. Would To Sir bring back the show for special occasions? He said, "Ho Jai has already 'reached six' (60 years old), would you still want him to jump on the stage? It's impossible, he wouldn't do it either. Let everyone hold on to a good memory, for THE MAD PHOENIX, I want to put an end to it."

Would anyone be able replace Tse Kwan Ho in the stage version? To Sir said, "Everyone remembers the first one. Everyone misses Ho Jai the most. They loves him also for his characteristics. Now you can still watch the movie version and the stage play video version to relive the beautiful memories. Maybe in a few years, we would be able to discover another one."

To Sir has created many classic plays. LOVE A LA ZEN (OI CHING GUOON JI JOI), which premiered in 1996, has also been adapted into a movie. The Hong Kong Repertory Theater staged it again for its 45th anniversary two years ago. To Sir was happy that the younger generation in the audience were immersed in the love story he created 26 years ago. "Previously I thought I could put yourself away. The audience who came in that night, I believed that they were not even born when it premiered in 1996. I asked the audience if they thought it was corny? They gave me great responses and said that it was outdated. Some young people got so involved that they secretly wiped away tears. This is the charm of stage play, the instant communication between the actors and the audience." To Sir, who liked to write about love, said, "Emotions are eternal. If you write about economics and politics, there would be a historical background. If I write about stocks, detectives, and kung fu, I don't know how to. I write about human nature, and the feelings between people are timeless. Love can be divided into many levels, not just love between men and women. I want to tell the audience that I like them to laugh, be moved by the plot I wrote and make them cry. I feel very happy if it resonates with the audience."

To Sir has written more than 100 stage plays and film scripts and won many honors, including the Hong Kong Drama Award, the Hong Kong Film Awards and the Golden Horse Award. In 1999, he was awarded the Bronze Bauhinia Star by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in recognition of his contribution to Hong Kong theater and literature. He said, "I didn't do anything to curry favor, I just wrote. I am very grateful to have won 20 individual awards." After writing SCARS OF THE SEA starring Wayne Lai Yiu Cheung and Joyce Koi Ming Fai in 2014, he has had no new work in 10 years. To Sir said: "I would no longer seek any breakthrough in stage plays, as I have reached retirement age long ago. Back then, I gave up a stable teaching job to become a screenwriter. Who knew that from the beginning I would write several scripts that people liked?"

In the past the status of screenwriters was not taken seriously, but To Sir was proud of being a screenwriter. "People used to say tht three minutes into the movie, when there was no action or comedy the audience would start cutting up the seats. When I HAVE A DATE WITH SPRING was first released, the audience said it was so boring and it didn't do well on the first day. Later it grossed over 20 million and it was a miracle. Then someone finally asked who the screenwriter was? In 1992 I gave up teaching and prepared to beg for food. I could afford to fail, and I was not afraid to. Even if the response to I HAVE A DATE WITH SPRING was not good, I would continue writing. In the end the response was good, so I worked harder and wrote THE MAD PHOENIX (NAM HOI SUP SAM LONG)."

To Sir noticed that the new generation of stage screenwriters are outstanding. "In the past whichever profession made more money, people would rush to look for opportunities. Between screenwriters of movies, TV and stage plays, movies would attract more people to join. Only People who really like stage plays would aspire to be stage playwrights, and now there are several elite screenwriters." Has the new generation already taken over? He said, "They don't need to. Young people nowadays have their own way of writing; any comparison would be unfair. For example, in some scenes, when a man and a woman stand behind ashtrays and smoke they can become good friends. Then they can develop into anything. I am not a part of this generation, do you still want me to pretend to observe them?"

To Sir still continued to create. Last year he wrote a new Cantonese opera LOVE IN THE BAMBOO GROVE and held a painting exhibition in Singapore. "I have been painting for 60 years. Painting is about solitude. When I express my feelings on that piece of paper, whether good or bad I take it upon yourself. When writing scripts, you must communicate with others. I have to write about twenty characters with different personalities, like a mad man with split personalities. For people who write scripts, especially movie scripts, when the script would be changed beyond recognition my self-esteem is damaged. I would always accept the adversity and say OK, even if I am mad I still have to do it. I say in my heart, "I will not work with you again." (Do you have a blacklist?) There are two or three, of course I won't name them."

Which actor is To Sir's favorite to work with? He laughed and said, "Let's talk instead about which actors are good people and loyal. Ho Jai (Gardner Tse Kwan Ho) has a very good character, so everyone cherishes him. The other one is (Carrie) Ng Ka Lai. She wouldn't underestimate young directors, and she would reduce her own salary so that new directors would be able to start production. Of course many are bad guys, countless..."

To Sir has worked in the theater for half his life; he said that when he was in a daze in the theater, he would think that his life was so enjoyable -- a teacher has experienced so many things. At the age of 6, he joined the entertainment industry as a broadcaster. Because he was not handsome, he gradually drifted away. After school he went to teach, not expecting that someone would discover him in school. He would become involved in the entertainment industry, which made him come full circle. When asked if he would write his own story? To Sir said, "It's too hurtful! It doesn't matter if I hurt yourself, I'm just worried about hurting the people around me. I am the 12th child in my family, and I have a sister who is the 13th. With many brothers and sisters jealousy is inevitable, not to mention the pressure in life. If I write about my teaching career, I'm afraid that I would lose the friendship with many people. Some people would ask me which stage is the happiest? I would say right now, I am very happy everyday, and everyone is kind to me. This is the time when I enjoy life the most."