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In 2006, in‘ Only You’ Adam once again took on the challenge of period drama in a full scale musical infused with heavy Cantonese opera. It was a tough challenge. Adam played the role of the general, WongPou Siu-wa, opposite Chan Po-chu ’s character, Mang Lai-gwan. The story was adapted from Chan Dyun-Sang’s classic novel, ZaiSangYun (Romance Re-visited), from the Cing Dynasty. Adam was not outshone by the famous Cantonese opera star Chan. Instead, they became a handsome on-screen musical couple and their poise tugged at the heartstrings. They had an incredible chemistry and their dazzling performance was much praised and discussed by the audience.
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In 2007, a production in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the return of Hong Kong to China, ‘Return Home’ was also Adam’s very first TV drama set in contemporary China. Adam played the CEO of a real estate conglomerate who, after fifty years of separation, reunites with his brother who is a Peking duck chef in Beijing. With a huge gap between them, generated by two starkly different upbringings, the two brothers embark on a journey of soulful reunification experiencing various crises of career, family and illness along the way. The story reflects the discrepancy and transformation between Hong Kong and China in terms of living standard, value systems, and national consciousness. The Chinese audience, that was familiar with Adam’s appearances in period drama, now saw his immense reservoir for the portrayal of emotional scenes with layers of complexity. The production team also set a precedent by not dubbing Adam’s voice as had been done before with all his TV series produced outside Hong Kong. His Mandarin voice added volume to a compelling performance. The show was aired on the eve of the 10th anniversary of the Hong Kong hand-over on all major prime-time satellite TV stations and on HK TV too, securing a positive audience rating and reception. |
