Fan Ruijun is an only child, and he was constantly reminded by his elders and friends around him, "In the future, my parents will be taken care of by you." At the same time, Fan Ruijun is also the mother of two children, which made her feel particularly touched when she performed "Grandpa’s Coffee Time". "We, in the sandwich generation, cannot deny that we are very tired. The most heartbreaking thing is that our love seems to be in front of our eyes, but In fact, you have already lost him." The new work of the performance workshop "Grandpa's Coffee Time" appeared in the theater later this month, telling the warm story of Hanhan's family caring for the grandfather suffering from Alzheimer's disease, supporting each other in difficulties, reconciling with themselves, relatives, and time . Fan Ruijun plays Han Han's mother, Nian Qing, who is a generation that connects the past and the next in the family, just like in real life. The memory of
fish is only seven seconds. After seven seconds, everything is a new beginning. So what does memory look like in the minds of Alzheimer's patients? "Grandpa's Coffee Time" is adapted from the real-life picture book "Eternal Coffee Time". It tells the story of Han Han, who just went to college, was hospitalized because his grandmother who took care of his wife for a long time was sick, and took advantage of the vacation to take care of his grandfather with Alzheimer's disease . Grandpa
was once the "hero" in Han Han's mind. He was tall, handsome, and energetic, and he was the object of the family's dependence. After suffering from Alzheimer's disease, his grandfather was as fragile as a child, gradually losing his memory and self-reliance, and he needed constant care. Time is meaningless to him. He can't distinguish between day and night. He can't remember that he had eaten or shaved. The only thing left in his memory is the time spent with his grandmother and drinking coffee when he was young. Grandpa often wakes up in the middle of the night, asking "good friend" Han Han to accompany him to buy coffee, or repeating his identity like obsessive-compulsive disorder, humming Teresa Teng's "Sweet Honey", begging Han Han to take him to his grandma... Relatives, Nian Qing and Han Han are under tremendous pressure. Nianqing works day and night only to support the family's economy. Han Han has time to take care of grandpa, but he still has things to do. The uncle who is dedicated to starting a business wants to prove that he is as good as his father. Everyone makes choices in hesitation and entanglement, and learns to choose between contradictions and conflicts.
"I am afraid of being forgotten by what I love." Fan Ruijun feels that Nian Qing is a portrayal of herself in real life. "The disorder of life order, the sharing of responsibilities, the real pressure of the economy, and the illness of my family are all in my heart. The fear of life, and the necessary mental preparation at this stage of life." In Fan Ruijun’s view, the most challenging and effective part of playing Nianqing lies in the role’s multiple identities. "As a divorced woman, she’s strong and autonomous. , The skill and helplessness of professional women, the lack of imbalance and communication in the growth of his son Han Han, the little girl facing the collapse of the father’s image, the responsibilities and disputes of being the eldest sister... The vast majority of women in modern society are simultaneously undergoing these complex identity transformations , The pull between love and reality. I hope I can truly express the tenacity of these women and the fragility that sometimes needs to be comforted." The
performance of "Grandpa’s Coffee Time" also gave Fan Ruijun a new understanding of life. After having a child, I actually live in the present, earnestly live, try my best to accompany my family, take care of my body, and sign the "Patient Autonomous Rights Act" to prevent myself from becoming a burden to my children."
rehearsed "Grandpa's Coffee" "Time", Fan Ruijun’s most unforgettable memory is "to suppress sorrow", "acting in this play, the emotional exhaustion is very severe, often heartache. From the beginning of reading the script, I seem to have really met the elders in the family who fell ill for the first time. Sad and helpless, tears could not stop flowing. Until the beginning of the rehearsal, I also asked the director to let my acting emotions lighten up, because the disguise of life as usual broke with light touch. One day, the tears flowed almost, I just The time to step into the play."
Fan Guangyao, who was in his early forties, played the role of grandfather in "Grandpa's Coffee Time". Fan Ruijun commented on his partner, "He originally had an old soul, and people often forget that he is not old. He is. The interpretive grandfather can see the spirited manners before the illness, so it is particularly reluctant. He also has a unique comedy rhythm. In this seemingly sentimental drama, there is a lot of black humor of normal life."
For the drama, Fan Ruijun spans the film and television industry and won the Golden Bell Award for supporting actress. She compares the differences between the two. "Film and stage performances have their own charms. What is connected is the inner and true emotions. The difference is media transmission and audience distance. Delicate and full of energy on the stage. If there is something more charming about the stage, it should be that we come from strangers from all directions, with our own stories, together in a black box. I will present a living life immediately In front of the audience. We oneFeel the breath, pain and laughter of each other, and walk with each other for a while. "
" "Burden" comes from "love", but whichever of them is stronger will eat the other. "Out of "Grandpa's Coffee Time", Fan Ruijun cherishes the present even more, "The good ones, and those that I want to forget, will eventually pass away...I hope that everyone in it can get understanding and comfort during the moment of watching the show. "
column editor: Shi Chenlu Text editor: Shi Chenlu Picture editor: Su Wei
Picture source: Picture courtesy of the organizer
