Hong Kong
CNN
–
Sporting his signature blue suit and red tie, US President Donald Trump sets out into the spotlight on the Hong Kong stage and sparrs with the man dressed to Ukrainian leader Voldimir Zelensky.
Two arguments over the costumes of Ukrainian leaders before Trump fires a water gun at the Ukrainian president and trades jabs in the air.
The exchange is just one scene in the absurd show of “Trump, President Trump” which parodiates recent political events with a modern twist on traditional Cantonese opera, a Chinese art form dating back hundreds of years.
The group behind the production debuted its first Trump-themed show in 2019 about the president’s first term in office, but there have been several iterations since.
That latest Reprise features not only a fierce exchange with Zelensky, but also references to Trump’s assassination attempt in Pennsylvania last summer, as well as his numerous headline moves. It implies that he will outweigh his attacks on Harvard and his turbulent relationship with tech billionaire Elon Musk.
The three and a half hour show, performed by a sold-out crowd, begins with a dream by Trump’s daughter Ivanka. Her father has a fictional twin brother named Chuan PU, a mandarin Chinese transliteration named “Trump.”
Chuan heads to the US where Trump is campaigning for reelection. When Trump is accused of aliens on Mars, Ivanka asks Chuan to pretend to be him to keep the nation together in a trade war with China.
Cantonese composer Edward Lee Cuy Min wrote the show but says he chose the president because of his international influence.
“(That) is a comedy that reflects people being influenced by President Donald Trump. He’s really (influenced). It’s something I want to do… drama related to him.”
UNESCO recognizes Cantonese opera as “an intangible cultural heritage of mankind.” Its history dates back five centuries, and its performance art is known for its distinctive makeup, traditional outfits and classic storylines.
Although it was an essential form of entertainment between the 1950s and 1960s, in recent decades, Cantonese Opera has struggled to seduce young audiences. Lee and his crew are on a mission to change it, and can use President Trump to make it more relevant for younger audiences.
“I have to use new heroes and new people and put them in old dramas and make them special and new,” Li said, explaining why he chose the 47th president.
The show also uses modern elements. For example, veteran actor Loongkoon-Tin turns into a card wearing a blonde wig and brows, a technique similar to modern theatres. Traditional makeup routines usually require actors to spend time painting their faces red and white and dressing up elaborate outfits and flashy headpieces.
Loong said he worked so hard to get Trump’s expressions and gestures right. “Every time I sink myself into that role. I’m Donald Trump,” he told CNN.
Other characters like former president Abraham Lincoln and Richard Nixon, Chinese Mao Zedong and North Korean leader Kim Jong Woon all play roles in playing at various points in this fictional timeline.
It’s difficult to draw a line between acceptable humor and aggression, Li added that he tried to present a balanced view so that everyone could relate to the show.
“I’m not trying anything to evoke political items,” he said. “My starting point is love and peace. I think everyone loves love and peace.”
Throughout the performance, the audience was many young – gushing with laughter and applause.
Adiva Zeng, 16, said he was interested in watching the show because of his portrayal of recent geopolitical events in a Chinese-centric context.
“It has Ukraine, it has the US, and they combine it with Chinese culture to show what’s going on right now, so it catches my eye,” Zen said.
Li said logistics and fundraising have proven to be a major hurdle so far, but he wants to take the show to Broadway and elsewhere.
He said he believes that both Trump and Zelensky will appreciate his work given his connection to showbiz before entering politics. Trump previously hosted the reality show “Pupil,” but before taking office, Zelensky was a comedian, actor and writer, starring in romantic comedies and played a high school teacher who became president of the Ukrainian political satire series “Service of the People.”
“Drama is life. Life is drama. And politics is drama,” Lee said.
