A raised eyebrow or a flick of a sleeve "can say more than expected". That is the promise behind Peking Opera in Glasgow, a free evening of live Chinese opera coming to Cottiers Theatre in the West End next month.
The performance takes place on Wednesday 11 November, from 7pm to 9pm, at Cottiers Theatre, 93-95 Hyndland Street, G11 5PU. It is organised by the Peking Opera Society at the University of Glasgow, and entry is free.
What to expect
The organisers' listing describes an evening that "brings Chinese opera into the city through live performance, voice, movement and gesture".
Audiences, it says, can experience the art form's "distinctive performance language up close and see how stories and emotions are communicated beyond words". The emphasis, in other words, is on what the performers can convey without translation.
The listing calls the night "an invitation to watch, listen, stay curious". The full programme of pieces has not yet been published, so it is worth watching the society's Instagram account, uofgpekingopera, for updates.
Peking Opera for newcomers
Peking Opera combines singing, reciting, acting and martial arts, according to UNESCO, which added it to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010. Encyclopaedia Britannica dates the form to the mid-19th century.
Its stories draw on history, politics, society and daily life, UNESCO says. Performers follow established choreography for the hands, eyes, torso and feet, which is why a small gesture can carry so much meaning.
Traditionally, sets and props are kept to a minimum while costumes are flamboyant, UNESCO notes. Bold facial make-up uses colour and pattern to signal a character's personality and standing, and the music sets the pace, with instruments such as the high-pitched jinghu and the dizi flute.
The Being Human connection
The evening is part of the Being Human Festival, the UK's national festival of the humanities, which runs from 5 to 14 November. This year's theme is "Crossroads".
The festival is led by the School of Advanced Study, University of London, in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the British Academy. It presents hundreds of free events across the UK each November.
The Cottiers night fits that theme neatly. The listing says the event "creates a meeting point between Chinese opera and Glasgow".
Families may also like a companion festival event, Peking Opera in Shadow, at the Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre in Kelvindale on Saturday 7 November, from 2pm to 5pm. According to its listing, it is free and pairs a 30-minute shadow puppet performance with a puppet-making workshop. Children must be accompanied by an adult, and it is worth confirming details with the venue before you go.
How to book
Free tickets are available through Eventbrite, or via the Cottiers event page. Cottiers says tickets went on sale on 23 September.
For ticket queries, the venue asks customers to WhatsApp or text 07941 673 035.
Cottiers also says customers with valid Cottiers theatre tickets are entitled to 20 per cent off meals at its restaurant, Leiper's Attic, when they add their ticket code to a table booking. It is not clear whether the offer covers free tickets, so check with the venue when you book.
The listings do not give details on age guidance, accessibility or whether there will be introductions in English, so it is worth checking with the venue or organiser before you travel.
