Chung Ying Theatre Company – Musical *Border Town*

At the crossroads of a ferry crossing, paths converge—yet staying together proves elusive. In a remote town nestled on the border of Sichuan and Hunan, young Cuicui lives with her grandfather, a ferryman. Theirs is a simple, song-like existence. The arrival of two brothers, Tianbao and Nuosong, stirs the tranquil waters of Cuicui’s life, bringing with it the first ripples of love. Yet, while fate brings people together, it can just as easily pull them apart. A well-intentioned gesture leads, unexpectedly, to an irreversible parting. With the passing of Tianbao, the sudden departure of Nuosong, and a tragic accident befalling her grandfather—all in the span of a single stormy night—the people who mattered most to Cuicui vanish from her life. Through the endless, dark nights, Cuicui chooses to wait for Nuosong’s return. As life continues its steady, unchanging rhythm, her act of waiting becomes a solitary flame—a faint, gentle, and profoundly steadfast glimmer in the dark. A co-production between the Chung Ying Theatre Company and Beijing’s Gulouxi Theatre, this adaptation transforms Shen Congwen’s classic novel into a deeply poetic musical. Set to the evocative melodies of master composer Chung Chi-wing and brought to life through the nuanced direction of Szeto Wai-cheuk, this production infuses a delicate, ink-wash-style rural landscape with a haunting, heart-wrenching musical score.