Life Is Like a Play

Chinese actor Zhang Zhehan (32 years old) recently visited Singapore for a fan meeting and took the time to share his experience in preparing for concerts and his approach to life in an exclusive interview with our magazine.

Hands-On Approach

Meeting his fans in Singapore for the first time, Zhang Zhehan returned to the stage after 2 years, expressing that performing on stage after focusing on acting and experiencing the pandemic felt “awesome”. Unlike concerts, he prepared games and chat sessions for the fan meeting, seizing the opportunity to interact with fans.

For concerts, Zhang Zhehan put a lot of effort into planning and choreography, saying, “I think some things can’t be replaced by others. I hope people who come to my concert can understand what I want to express. That’s the most important thing.”

His “Primordial Theater” concerts in Thailand and Malaysia this year aimed to convey the message that “life is like a play,” and everything experienced, good or bad, is part of life.

To express this concept, Zhang Zhehan and his team discussed how to choreograph the concert’s flow and sequence of songs. Unfortunately, due to venue limitations, he couldn’t realize his initial stage concept and hopes to present it on a more spacious stage one day.

Asked if there’s a chance to see this stage in Singapore, Zhang Zhehan lamented, “Venues in Singapore are very expensive!” He explained that many things are “DIY” now, so there are cost concerns. But as long as he doesn’t lose money, he promises to meet fans more often.

The Art of Acting

Though he often takes a hands-on approach, Zhang Zhehan admits he’s lazy sometimes and needs to be “pushed” by his staff. Interestingly, he doesn’t consider creating music or singing as work, but more like playing. Once he steps on stage, he doesn’t feel tired or nervous, only excitement.

Regarding acting, unless the script contains professional terminology, he doesn’t memorize lines verbatim. “I just understand the lines, or what the scene wants to convey. I think this makes it more lively.” Zhang Zhehan explained that acting only requires understanding the character, the scene, keeping the rhythm, and interpreting the key conflicts or contradictions. Improvisation might even yield better results.

Having studied musical theater in college, he’s always wanted to combine acting and music (musicals). He’s been to London to watch musicals and was quickly captivated by the performers’ singing and dancing skills. “Filming only needs to capture that moment, but they need to fully invest in rehearsals every day, singing and dancing, which is not easy and impressive.”

Zhang Zhehan admires and respects musical theater actors’ dedication and finds it worth learning from. If invited to participate in a musical, he’d make time despite his busy schedule.

Learning from Concerts

To prepare his own stage, Zhang Zhehan “learned” from concerts by Mayday and Tanya Chua. Besides learning how to control the stage and interact with the audience from these veterans, he also closely observed the audience’s reactions to incorporate elements into his own performance. As a loyal fan of Mayday, he has sung their songs at his concerts and plans to continue doing so.

He also admires singers who can sing and dance at the same time. Singing and dancing simultaneously is a challenge for Zhang Zhehan, requiring continuous practice to ensure stable breathing. He jokes that he’s getting older and can only do his best.

Recently fascinated by painting, Zhang Zhehan revealed he started painting to better design his own costumes. He enjoys the process of thinking about how to paint, erasing, and redoing it several times. He loves trying new things and lives with the mentality that “life is like a play,” daring to try boldly.

Time as the Best Healer

Zhang Zhehan tries to think positively about everything. “Life is long, and you never know what scarier things will happen in the future. So think positively; it’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s all part of life’s experience.” He’s constantly improving himself to become better. Although he doesn’t claim to have a “strong heart,” he can usually face things calmly.

To those experiencing setbacks, Zhang Zhehan says, “Whether you’re doing something you like or dislike, it proves you’re alive. So keep living, and everything you experience is part of life.” He also addresses this group in an unreleased song: Although time is cruel and takes away a lot, it’s also the best healer.

If you’re feeling down, he suggests changing the place and mindset, such as going to a concert, finding an outlet for your emotions, and not getting stuck in sadness.

Regarding future plans, Zhang Zhehan will continue his tour and return to acting next year! As someone who prefers to act first, he doesn’t know when it will be broadcasted but says, “Shoot first and talk later!”