假如你有留意本地的文化活動,不難發現投身劇場工作的畢業生為數不少;究竟這純粹是美麗的巧合、還是刻意的栽培?看看校友陳恆輝 (Andrew)對學校的回憶,你或者可以找出半點蛛絲馬跡……
陳恆輝,愛麗絲劇場實驗室 (身為 愛麗絲教育工作室) 藝術總監,曾在玫瑰崗中學修讀中四及中五,其後考入香港演藝學院,修畢藝術學士(榮譽)學位,主修導演。他是香港第一位全職戲劇科教師,教育以外,Andrew亦致力於實驗劇場的創作,憑《卡夫卡的七個箱子》獲得「第十八屆香港舞台劇獎」最佳導演獎 (悲劇/正劇) 及「第一屆香港小劇場獎」最佳導演獎。
中四新生
以上履歷,除了曾在中學修讀中四及中五以外,你或許覺得他今天的成就跟學校不太能扯上關係吧!
首先,當我們問他當年在玫瑰崗「初到貴境」的感受時,他說:「我是中四的插班生,第一次上到玫瑰崗學校時,便覺得這所學校『很大很靚』」。另外,以 Andrew的高挑俊朗的外形,加上他是一名新生,自然會比較沉默,使這位文科生在女中部一眾女生中特別顯眼,Andrew也坦言「讀女中的確有點優越感,可能因為女孩子人數比男孩子多吧!」除此之外,學校還有甚麼令他較有深刻印象呢?Andrew說:「當然還有飯堂的午膳,加 兩元便可以添加飯餸,真的十分吸引呢!」
無論如何,這些初步的印象,都不及同學們之間的音樂文化互相啟蒙和影響來得那麼刺激、那麼的與別不同!
另類音樂
「當年學校聽音樂的風氣非常濃厚,同學們差不多每天都會租借唱片,為自己及朋友在家複製成卡式帶,翌日便會帶回學校,將這些非主流音樂拿回學校讓一眾好支『分享』!」
當年Andrew所喜愛的音樂並不是一些主流的流行曲,而是一些另類音樂和樂隊音樂 (band sound)。其中例如包括 David Sylvian、 YMO、Christian Death 等。「大部份唱片我們是從灣仔的『迴音閣』/『搖攞廊』租回來。還記得學校是天主教學校,神父在早會時,也會看到我們拿著透明膠袋內載的是『Christian Death』的作品,對神父而言,這可是大逆不道的,但他從沒有阻撓過我們聽音樂的方向。Andrew在音樂方面的口味很受他一位同學哥哥的影響,因而接觸這些非主流的音樂,但有趣的是到後來,那位同學的哥哥在負笈加拿大後可能因思鄉關係反而開始轉聽主流流行曲如譚詠麟主唱的作品。
音樂之外,Andrew還踏入了另一個門檻──戲劇表演。
初踏台板
「當初加入中文劇社,以為只是純粹觀賞話劇,但料不到原來要參與排戲,還被安排參加社際戲劇比賽,Andrew記得那劇目名為“錯遇”。「故事是關於一個成年人為在年輕時對一位少女的愐懷,可惜這段感情最後無疾而終。 我就是飾演這位成年人,幕一開我便需唸一大段獨白,而當時的負責指導的老師為蘇彩妍老師,她教我如可擺手,告訴我如何表現得自然,還提議我去買票觀看當時一齣名叫《人間有情》(編按:本地著名劇作家杜國威創作之舞台劇)」的舞台劇,以作參考。」不要以為Andrew會為表演的壓力會感到厭惡和抗拒;相反在玫瑰崗Andrew找到了自己對舞台的熱愛!那兩年,你總可以在排練房找到他的踪影呢。
在排練舞台劇之餘,Andrew 還會和同學自發地參與校外的文娛活動,「當時一班同學對戲劇或文化活動很有興趣,我們會自動出席一些編劇講座,或者一同購買戲票觀看話劇,我還記得當時看演藝學院一眾學生演出的《風流劍客》(編按:著名演員黃秋生當年就讀演藝學院時的作品之一),我和其他同學都喜歡到不得了。」到離開玫瑰崗學校之後,Andrew開始有機會接觸電影,到後來更入讀香港演學院戲劇學院,主修導演。
雖然在玫瑰崗的兩年時間不算很長,但Andrew不諱言這兩年間他深受玫瑰崗校內濃厚的文化氣氛所影響,「同學之間的品味、思想都很特別,對當時的我可以說有莫大的啓發。」
在玫瑰崗的歲月,對陳恆輝而言,無論是當時的音樂文化,或是戲劇表演的啓蒙,都為Andrew 的人生打開了一扇門 ─ 主流娛樂文化外還有其他的選擇,看他今天的工作和成就,便是最佳的印証!
If you are familiar with the local culture activities, you would have noticed there are quite a number of Rosarians working in the performing art sector. You may then wonder if that has anything to do with their education in Rosaryhill or it is just a coincidence. You might get some ideas after reading the interview of one of such alumni, Andrew Chan.
Andrew Chan is currently the Artistic Director of Alice Theatre Laboratory. After spending 2 years (From 4 to Form 5) in RHS, Andrew was admitted to the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts (“HKAPA”), where he obtained his Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Degree major in Directing. Moreover, he was the first full-time drama teacher in Hong Kong. Apart from that, Andrew has been dedicating himself to creative experimental works in theatre. Recently, he was awarded The Best Director Award in the 18th Hong Kong Theatre Awards for his outstanding directing in “Seven Boxes Possessed of Kafka”.
After reading the above information, you may still wonder if his education in Rosaryhill had played a part in his successful career today.
First, when we asked him how he felt when he first joined RHS as a new Form 4 student, he said ‘I only joined RHS in Form 4. The first impression I had for RHS was that the campus was very big and nice.’ Since he was a new student, we asked Andrew if he got a lot of attention from the girls in the Girl’s Section for his outstanding outlook and quiet character, he honestly revealed, ‘I did feel quite proud at that time. Perhaps it was because boys were minority in my section.’ He further shared with us another thing that impressed him a lotl was that price of the food in the canteen was very reasonable; students could ask for extra toppings and rice simply by paying HK$2 more!
Apart from these initial memories of RHS, Andrew said it was also during those 2 years that he started to find his special taste in music through his school friends.
‘I remember there was a strong atmosphere of music appreciation in school. Many students used to rent records on daily basis and then they would have the songs dubbed into cassette tapes and shared the tapes with friends.’
Main stream pop music was really not Andrew’s cup of tea at that time; instead, alternative music and band sound were Andrew’s favorites, such as David Sylvan, YMO, Christian Death…etc. He remembered well that most of the records were rented from the shops in Wanchai at that time. Furthermore, he said he was quite impressed that even though our school was a Catholic school, but when the Fathers saw the records in his hand with the name like “Christian Death”, the Fathers would not interfere with his liking in music.
Furthermore, Andrew also found his other love in RHS – performing arts
‘When I first joined the Drama Society, I thought I only needed to go watch drama shows. However, I was later asked to act in a play in the drama competition. I still remembered the story was about a man looking back to his childhood when he experienced his first love with a young girl, which ended sourly. At that time the teacher in charge of the show was Ms So Choi Yin. She taught me how to place my hands and how to act naturally. Ms So also suggested me to watch a local famous play called “人間有情” for reference. Despite the unprecedented demand on this new actor, Andrew started to find his passion for drama. As a result, he always stayed behind to keep improving his acting skills.
Apart from his drama rehearsals, Andrew would always go attend various cultural events outside school. ‘At that time I had a group of friends who were also drama or culture lovers. We would find buy tickets to different shows or attend different script writing seminars. I still remember we watched a show called a production by the HKAPA’s called “Cyrano de Bergerac” with actor Antony Wong Chau-sang in the cast. We loved the show so much!’ After Andrew left RHS, he started to be involved in movies and subsequently he was admitted to Drama School of HKAPA, major in Directing.
Although two years was not a very long period, Andrew said he was greatly influenced by the strong cultural atmosphere in RHS. ‘My friends had various different styles and their mentalities were all very special, which gave me lots of inspirations at that time.’
The days Andrew Chan spent in RHS undoubtedly played a big part in his life, which inspired him to find his special taste for music and drama. At that same time, Andrew found another door which led to his success today: Alternative Art.