Chinese Theatre Troupes in Southeast Asia Touring Diaspora, 1900s–1970s

A detailed account of the cultural history of the Chinese diaspora, with a focus on the performers and audiences who were involved in the making of Chinese performing cultures in Southeast Asia. Focusing on five different kinds of theatre troupes from China and their respective travels in Singapore, Bangkok, Malaya and Hong Kong, Zhang examines their different travelling experiences and divergent cultural practices. She thus sheds light on how transnational mobility was embodied, practised and circumscribed in the course of troupes’ travelling, sojourning and interacting with diasporic communities. These troupes communicated diverse discourses and ideologies influenced by different social political movements in China, and these meanings were further altered by transmission. By unpacking multiple ways of performing Chineseness that was determined by changing time-space constructions, this volume provides valuable insight for scholars of the Chinese Diaspora, Transnational History and Performing Arts in Asia.

Introduction PartI Chinese theatre troupes on the Sino-Southeast Asian Corridor, 1900s–1930s 1 Formation of Chinese theatrical spaces: temples, theatres and amusement parks in the Straits Settlements 2 Travelling with Teochew immigrants: Chaozhou theatre troupes on the move 3 Performative encounters: China’s Song and Dance Troupe and the Nanyang tour 4 Saving the motherland: diasporic Nationalism and Mobilisation of Chinese in Malaya during WWII PartII 'Dangerous' reaching out via performative linkages in the Cold War 5 Old ties and new routes: socialist Chaozhou theatre in Hong Kong, 1950s–1960s 6 Chaozhou opera film nexuses: Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok, 1960s 7 Appropriating postcolonial Chineseness: Hong Kong leftwing troupes in Cold War Singapore and Malaya(sia) 8 Conclusion and epilogue

Beiyu Zhangobtained her PhD from the History departmentat theNational University of Singapore. She worked as Post-doctoral Fellow, funded by the Macau Talent Programat the University of Macau, from 2018 to 2020. Now she is affiliated with the Jinan University, Guangzhou. Her research interests include cultural history, Chinese diaspora, theatre and performances, andCold War culture.