Living in character
Wilfred Aw-Yeong Peng Mun and the secretive arts of Cantonese Opera
by Mandy Woo
Friday, November 13th, 2009
http://ubyssey.ca/culture/?p=10975 (http://ubyssey.ca/culture/?p=10975)
A not-yet-middle-aged man in an orange shirt, blue crew neck sweater and blue jeans could easily describe many instructors on campus. But no professor even comes close to stepping in Wilfred Aw-Yeong Peng Mun's shoes when he demonstrates his skills as a nandan—the secretive art of female impersonation in Cantonese opera. UBC Theatre students came out in droves to take part in the interactive question and answer session this past Tuesday, November 10.
Cross-dressing is not enough. As a male actor, physiological differences from females must be compensated for. To give the appearance of hips, you need "tight abs," Aw-Yeong explains.