Wing Chung Ng's book The Rise of Cantonese Opera is an excellent social history of Cantonese opera from the mid-nineteenth century to the outbreak of the Pacific War. Focusing on three geographical areas—South China, Southeast Asia, and North America—it draws on an impressive array of primary source material and contributes to a growing body of scholarship in Chinese theatre studies focused on regional histories and transnational perspectives. Unlike previous studies of traditional Chinese theatre, Ng's book offers little analysis of the content or form of Cantonese opera performances. Rather, his innovative approach allows us to understand Cantonese opera as a social and economic institution: through Ng's account we trace the formation and evolution of actors' guilds, learn how theatre companies operated financially and navigated competition in the market, and piece together the many external factors—from immigration law to gang activity, taxation, and local political rivalries—that shaped the lives of the...

You do not currently have access to this content.