14/1/2007

normally staged their performance in 新世界 New World in Jalan Besar (already demolished and a new condominium City Square Residences had been built on the same plot of land.) 陈楚蕙 appeared as guest performer at one time and only performed two titles, 红书宝剑 and 萧湘秋雨 . This was to land support to 方巧玉 who paired off many less popular ‘male’ lead during and was facing pressure and stiff competition from 昇艺潮剧团.

昇艺潮剧团 had many young and adorable actress like 陈碧霞 and Loh Quee Hong. They performed at the same time at the open space near Golden Cinema. There was one year, my mother and I had to choose to watch a performance from each troupe because of tight budget. We watched 双挂帅 played by 方巧玉 of 新天彩潮剧团 and 秦怀玉 by 昇艺潮剧团. I must admit that both the two troupes were equally good. Actually, we liked 秦怀玉 more as it contained the story line of 三 哭 殿 featuring how a princess of Tang dynasty lectured her son for killing the Prime Minister, whose daughter is the concubine of her father, the Emperor.
令“观众补票欣赏”，并“博得如雷的掌声”。尤其是1969年在新加坡演出《陈三五娘（下集）》（即《续荔镜记》）、《孟丽君》、《火烧临江楼》、《一门三进士》等剧目，时间长达两个多月，观众直不衰，许多人还将陈楚蕙当成“偶像”，争相在家里挂她的剧装照片。
1973年，新天彩潮剧团第三度南来，只少了一个陈楚惠（她息影剧坛，从商去了）；于是，观众就如一湖死水，激不起一点涟漪，票房纪录空前惨淡，连演了十几场，主办者眼看血本无归，却又欲罢不能；最的，还是重金商请陈楚惠从香港赶来助阵，才得扭转乾坤，挽回危局。陈楚惠又以《潇湘秋雨》、《红书宝剑》等剧目再掀高潮，往观者络绎不绝，由于向隅者多，竟还时时出现一些“隐形市场”炒卖入场券的事件，陈楚蕙因此被誉为“东南亚潮剧小生王”，“新天彩潮剧团”也获得了“香港长寿戏霸”的称号。

难道陈楚惠的演艺真的已经炉火纯青、超凡入圣了吗？她究竟有什么魅力，能够使戏迷为她而迷死？其实说穿了，也没有什么稀奇。首先，自从有了潮剧电景，陈楚惠主演的影片最多，是诸多潮剧电影明星中较为突出的一个，给观众留下了深刻的良好印象；其次，她对人态度友善，没有大牌演员倨傲放肆的气势，因她人缘很好，几度来新演出，接触面都非常广，不论富商巨贾、贩夫走卒，她都能坦诚相待，没有势力、贪婪或虚伪造作的恶习。凡是跟她接触过的观众，很快地便成为她的戏学，与她交往则引以为荣，视为乐事。所以，她的剧艺造诣虽非冠压群芳，却因戏迷对她有亲切感而建立了广泛的观众基础，这就是这