Learning four or five versions of Shanghai dialect with one line... "Old Bai" hones his skills for the musical "Love Myth"

"I have now learned four or five versions of Shanghainese in one line - those with a Mandarin accent, those with a city accent, those with a northern Jiangsu accent, and those with a Ningbo accent..." On September 13th, during a media tour of the musical "Love Myth," veteran actor Zong Juntao smiled and said, "Any Shanghainese line will automatically be guided by the Shanghai people on the set."

As the opening play of the 9th Shanghai International Comedy Festival in 2023, the musical "Love Myth" will have a trial performance at the Lingang Performing Arts Center on October 1st, and the first round of 6 performances will be held at the Shanghai Cultural Square from October 5th to 8th. Since the establishment of the group on July 22nd, actors Zong Juntao, Wang Hao, Jiang Qianru, Huang Ling, Ding Zhenying, and Zhao Jiayan have been rehearsing intensively. In the movie, Alexander played Hamza Al sal, Maya played Feng Maya, and another Maya played He Qiyue, selected from a thousand young actors, also joined the rehearsal.

The musical "Love Myth" is adapted from the screenplay written and directed by Shao Yihui. In the drama, Shanghai's uncle, Lao Bai, claims to be a miscellaneous family and is a meticulous middle-aged artist who lives a frugal life. My friend Lao Wu is completely different, pursuing romance. Old Bai met Miss Li, who was also divorced and had a child, through a friend's introduction, and fell in love at first sight. At the same time, Gloria, a student of Lao Bai, and his ex-wife Beibei also got involved: one dared to love and hate, and "had money and leisure, but her husband disappeared", while the other was passionate about tango after divorce. In the square struggle, three women became friends. Three women and two men depict the diverse urban fireworks in Shanghai.

The musical "Myth of Love" gathers a highly influential crossover lineup. Director He Nian and popular actor Zong Juntao, who have created multiple popular dramas, Shanghai singer Huang Ling and singer songwriter Wang Hao, as well as producer Xu Zheng, are all familiar stars to Shanghai audiences.

During rehearsals, the actors pondered over how to use Shanghai dialect fluently. In the first act, Miss Li said dejectedly after watching the play, "I want to go drink." This was in Mandarin, and Old Bai casually said, "Everyone needs to find a bar," in Shanghai dialect. Switching between Mandarin and Shanghainese is also a way for Shanghai people to express themselves in their daily lives. In addition to focusing on "Shanghai dialect", "Shanghai flavor" is also the direction that the production team strives for. The scenes of bicycle pick-up and drop off, gatherings of uncles, and chatting at the market have all been brought to the stage.

Non Shanghai actors Zong Juntao and Jiang Qianru are working hard to learn authentic Shanghai dialect. The role of Lao Bai played by Zong Juntao is very heavy, with only three minutes off stage. "I need to be fully prepared both physically and mentally. As there is no unified standard for Shanghainese, the Shanghai crew is correcting my accent, and the inversion of the lyrics can even stun my tongue." He revealed that considering audiences from other places, the ratio of Shanghainese to Mandarin in the drama is still being adjusted, striving for a more comfortable viewing experience.

Zong Juntao plays the role of Lao Bai

Rehearsal of "Love Myth"

When it comes to the difference between musicals and movies, Zong Juntao believes that movies rely on editing to change the scenery, and musicals cannot be edited, so rhythm is more important. The young actor Feng Maya in the movie "Myth of Love" once again plays Maya in the musical. Zong Juntao praised her as an "old actress" and said, "She is too talented. She is born with no moves to win, and I need to constantly concentrate in order to be able to take on her role."

Feng Maya described the musical production team as a home, "When filming movies, only the actors with scenes are together; during musical rehearsals, all the actors are together, and everyone often jokes and eats chocolate. But when it comes to acting, I'm still a bit nervous. Musicals are like live broadcasts, and if I make a mistake, I can't change it."

The little actor described the crew as like a home

Jiang Qianru, who plays Miss Li, believes that the drama portrays the current living conditions of many women, including unwillingness, compromise with reality, and a literary style. Wang Hao plays Lao Wu, "I don't need to perform deliberately. Lao Wu's romance is not excessive. People who love drama and Shanghai culture should not miss the musical 'Love Myth'."

Before rehearsing, Huang Ling, who played Gloria, watched the movie "Love Myth" again. "She and I are both from Shanghai, confident and independent, and have a delicate and fragile side." Love Myth "has a Broadway jazz style. Singing is enough to be yourself, and musicals need to tell stories and play with opponents. The pronunciation should not be too vague, and if you want to sing, you need to balance the lines and performance." Huang Ling particularly likes scenes where three women eat. "It's interesting, but if you don't cooperate well, it's easy to laugh."

The fusion of diverse dance and music styles, combined with the regional characteristics of Shanghainese, makes the musical "Love Myth" expected to become a musical business card with special texture. In tango, tap dance, and jazz dance melodies, musician Peng Fei has created over 20 songs for "Love Myth". Miss Li's roast about "the downhill road can not be smooth" was adapted into the humorous tap dance style "The downhill road". Lao Wu introduced Lao Bai to the vegetable market. Lao Bai's helplessness and the bustle of the vegetable market intertwined into a song "Food Market".

Both "Lao Bai" and "Lao Wu" have wonderful singing segments

This drama is authorized by Maite Film Co., Ltd. and Beijing 88 Cultural Development Co., Ltd., produced by Shanghai Wenguang Performing Arts Co., Ltd. and Shanghai Chenzi Cultural Investment and Development Co., Ltd., and jointly produced by Shanghai Huangpu Cultural Tourism Group Co., Ltd. and Beijing 88 Culture.