Not The Sideburns I Know Chapter 58

After eating Yuanxiao, Shuiyunlou opened the box with good luck. During the ten days of the New Year, Ervin didn't think of buying a newspaper to read. On the day of the opening, Manager Gu of Qingfeng Theater bought all the newspapers that praised Ervin's "Qianlong Ji" in the past half month in order to flatter Ervin, and personally read them aloud to Ervin word by word in the backstage. Ervin is not like other famous actors. There are always one or two hangers-on around him. Although he enjoys the feeling of being surrounded by people, he doesn't want anyone to follow him when he leaves the theater. One Xiao is enough to order around. He is still very picky about friends who are really close to life. Usually, Ervin comes to the theater to sing and supervise the play on time. After singing, he rushes home to eat supper and sleep as if he is off work. He will be irritable if anyone delays him for a moment. Manager Gu rarely has the opportunity to flatter him. Today, Ervin, as the boss of the troupe, had to lead everyone in kowtow to the ancestor, personally unseal the boxes where the costumes were stored, and take inventory of the newly purchased headgear and props, so he got up early to keep an eye on the scene. Manager Gu finally caught the man.

Manager Gu finished reading a review article with a loud bang, and all the actors in Shuiyunlou nodded in praise and added some flattery. Ervin held a teapot in his hand, leaning on the back of Yuanlan's chair and listening with a smile, not hiding his vanity at all. As he listened, he sucked the spout of the teapot from time to time. His behavior became more and more like those rough men who sang martial arts. The female actors were not so rough.

Judging from the newspapers, opera is really the most refined and popular thing. From literary masters to cart pullers and porters, Ervin's fans are spread across all social classes. When singing Peking opera, he often goes to the theater on Tianqiao. The hardworking people buy a ticket for a few cents to spend the whole night, and learn to hum along. Once Ervin was riding in a rickshaw. When going uphill, the driver shouted Ervin's martial arts play to encourage him. Ervin could tell the flavor of his own Shang school at once, smiled with his lips pursed, and gave him an extra fifty cents when he got off the car. Because this play "The Hidden Dragon" is Kunqu opera, it is difficult for ordinary people to learn it, but it is especially popular with cultural figures, so it seems relatively lively in the newspapers. Even cultural people who can't sing opera at all can write about it clearly. Not to mention the acting and singing skills, just listening to them analyze the characters and plots is very beneficial, and there are two or three like-minded people. The coolies can only shout him a good word at the top of their lungs. When he first debuted, Ervin liked the lively noise, but after singing for a long time, his heart became heavy, and he still preferred to listen to some reactions that were worth pondering. So even though Peking Opera has become so popular in recent years, he dared not give up Kunqu Opera. After coming to Peking, Ervin became the leader of the opera world, and the financial situation of Shuiyunlou became more relaxed. He was finally able to create some plays that were not for selling tickets. The fulfillment in his heart was something that other actors did not understand.

Manager Gu raised his thumb and said, "Hey! They say that Peking opera has overshadowed Kunqu opera nowadays, and I, Gu, dare to say no! Whether it's Peking opera or Kunqu opera, it all depends on who is singing it! Right? Boss Shang, let me tell you, people have fought to the death to buy tickets for the three performances of "Hidden Dragon" after the New Year! In today's market, if there is no Boss Shang, even a few cents of money may not have the time to watch a play. If there is a Boss Shang, you can't buy a ticket even with dozens of dollars!"

Ervin looked pleased: "Don't set the ticket price too high, don't be too unscrupulous."