育成故事:My Fair Lady
呢個係一個怪叔叔收留少女,然後育成再食用(?)嘅故事。

如果POTO係藝術同美學嘅啟蒙,咁My Fair Lady(MFL)就係令我發奮圖強想學好英文,學好儀態做個優雅嘅人嘅Musical。(得喇,我知,我唔優雅冇儀態嘛,FF下得唔得呀而家?)
當我開始咗我嘅舞台劇、音樂劇大冒險之後,身邊嘅大人統統都好支持,姑媽將一隻My Fair Lady送咗俾我。不過收到之後嘅一個月,唔知點解我都冇乜動力開嚟睇,可能係覺得個封面唔吸引。去到一個星期日晚,爸爸問我睇左未,我就有啲心虛話未睇,爸爸同媽媽就決定同我坐低一齊睇咗佢。
故事嘅開始係一個落大雨嘅晚上,响倫敦嘅一個劇院外面,Audrey Hepburn 飾演嘅賣花女Eliza响劇院門外嘗試賣花畀一位上校Pickering,然後發現有個人(Sir Reginald Carey “Rex” Harrison)响度抄低佢講嘅嘢。出於擔心俾警察盯上,Eliza於是發難,質問點解佢要抄低自己講嘅嘢。原來,呢個人係一個語言學教授,叫Henry Higgins。佢用極其難聽同尖酸嘅言詞批評Eliza同其他英國人,連自己嘅母語英文都講得唔好( “Why Can’t the English”),令到Eliza好嬲好受辱。呢個時候,一直互相欣賞對方學術成就嘅Pickering同Higgins就相認,Pickering仲跟咗Higgins返屋企作客,方便討論學術。响對話途中透露咗自己嘅地址俾Eliza知道,臨走前仲抵不住Eliza嘅窮追猛打而俾咗啲散子Eliza買花(對Eliza嚟講,已經係一筆可觀嘅金錢)。
Eliza响兩位男士離開之後,思前想後,就決定去拜訪Higgins,想跟佢學英文。Eliza希望可以搣甩啲鄉音,有儀態啲,咁樣先可以擺脫賣花女嘅命運,有機會去花店返工,賺多啲錢,有好啲嘅生活。於是,Eliza就去到人哋屋企踩場。
Higgins又對住Eliza尖酸刻薄咗一輪,Pickering就一個大好人咁覺得Higgins太過分。Higgins誇口話自己可以响半年內,將Eliza改造成一個淑女,帶佢去Embassy Ball都唔會俾人發現佢其實只係一個賣花女,Pickering聽完覺得不可思議,話要同Higgins打賭,賭注就係Eliza改造期間嘅開支。 所以Eliza就開始响Higgins屋企住落嚟接受改造。
改造嘅過程慘無人道,Higgins迫佢不停重複讀AEIOU、迫佢練發音、成日戲弄Eliza…(我覺得「撚鳩」呢個字係好貼切的,但又唔想用咁多粗口)明明知道Eliza好肚餓,仲拎住杯茶、食住蛋糕咁嚟教佢禮儀,望住Eliza肚餓個樣真係我見猶憐,但Higgins係唔會有感覺。簡單來講改造過程就係Higgins做黑臉、Pickering做白臉,Eliza就係可憐嘅小女孩。
去到一半,Higgins決定帶Eliza去賽馬日試下佢學成點。Eliza當日當眾出醜,對住馬匹大叫”C’mon Dover, move your bloomin’ arse!”,但成功吸引狂蜂浪蝶一號Freddie為佢不能自拔。由嗰日開始,Freddie就流連响Higgins屋企想等Eliza出現,又送花又傳話咁樣。但Eliza實在係太傷心唔想見人,所以一直都唔知Freddie响出面。
終於去到Embassy Ball嘅日子,Eliza打扮得明艷照人,連一向尖酸嘅Higgins都無可挑剔要講 “not bad, not bad at all”。响舞會現場,Eliza成功吸引眾人嘅目光,靚到女王進場嘅時候都話佢 “charming, quite charming”,王子又請佢條第一支舞,成為全場焦點。有人嘗試試探Eliza係咩底細,都因為Eliza一口完美嘅英文同無懈可擊嘅禮儀,而無從判斷,甚至宣稱Eliza一定係一位公主。
舞會完結之後,Eliza一行人就返屋企。返到屋企之後,Higgins同Pickering就為咗空前嘅成功互相道賀、互相吹捧,將Eliza晾咗埋一邊。互相道賀之後,兩位男士就決定上床訓覺休息。Eliza就一個人坐响客廳暗自神傷,覺得被忽略。呢個時候,Higgins因為搵唔到對拖鞋於是落返樓,問Eliza知唔知佢響邊。Eliza就趁機發難,做女人最叻做嘅事 — passive aggressive然後大發脾氣。Higgins不明所以,做咗所有男人都會做嘅事,問Eliza做咩無啦啦發脾氣。而女人passive agressive,男人不明所以,會發生咩事呢,就係女人真係嬲咗大爆炸然後做傻事。而Eliza就一嘢執晒行李,離家出走。
Eliza一出門口,就見到日夜守候嘅Freddie。Freddie即刻表明心跡,話自己有幾不能自拔,Eliza就將頭先未發夠嘅脾氣發洩落Freddie到,話「你班男人淨係得個講字,係愛我就真係行動啦」。之後,帶著Freddie去一開始Eliza賣花同生活嘅貧民區。去到貧民區,見返以前嘅朋友,但佢哋已經完全唔認得Eliza了。佢哋對Eliza非常恭敬,完全真係當佢係一個淑女咁對待。Eliza露出一面落寞嘅表情就離開咗。
鏡頭一轉,Higgins 同Pickering終於發現Eliza唔見咗,十分慌張咁樣想搵返佢。Higgins於是去咗搵佢媽媽,想知道佢知唔知Eliza响邊度。去到媽媽屋企嘅時候發現Eliza在場,兩個女人響度抱怨緊Higgins同Pickering嘅唔體貼。
「下乜佢哋完全無理你呀」「係呀,佢哋act like我唔存在咁」
「即係佢哋完全無讚過你有幾努力呀 咁過份嘅佢哋」「係囉~」
兩個女人見到Higgins出現之後,發揮女人互助嘅精神,一齊畀說話Higgin聽,令到Higgins一肚子怒氣無處發作。然後Higgins媽媽因事要先離開,就同Eliza講,「如果佢又尖酸刻薄你嘅話,你就趕佢走,我話嘅」。媽媽離開之後,Higgins就嘗試氹返Eliza返屋企。但通常男人嘗試氹返發脾氣中嘅女人,一係就失敗,一係就令事情更加災難性,Higgins都唔例外。Eliza好直接咁樣就話,你個人真係好難相處又唔體貼。Higgins為自己辯護,話自己一直都係咁架啦,好衰唔衰提起「你唔返嚟你可以去邊」嘅論調,Eliza就話我可以做一個新時代女性、可以獨立,然後仲話自己可以同Freddie結婚自己養佢,然後拂袖而去。
Higgins正如好多男人一樣,條氣唔順,於是開始詆毀咒罵全世界嘅女人,話自己唔會冇咗邊個唔得,自己一支公不知爽幾多乜乜乜。咒罵到一個位,Higgins自己突然間發現,原來自己已經習慣咗Eliza嘅存在,會掛住佢,會想聽佢講早晨、會想見到佢嘅輪廓、想見到佢嘅喜怒哀樂。但已經太遲了,佢已經激嬲咗人哋,於是佢返到屋企打開留聲機,聽番第一日Eliza上嚟踩場嘅錄音。呢個時候,Eliza返咗嚟,睇住Higgins一面寂寞傷感咁樣聽錄音,然後開聲講嘢。Higgins大為驚訝,但迅速回復傲嬌嘅人物屬性,講咗句 “Where the devils are my slippers?”
全劇終。
叔叔育成少女,自行食用。
細個睇呢套劇,淨係覺得Eliza好靚、Higgins好衰、啲歌好聽。個陣屋企人仲會笑我,唔好好畀心機就會好似改造前嘅Eliza咁樣。
早幾日重睇,先發現原來呢套戲咁有趣。 根本就係勾勒咗男女嘅分別。 (女權份子睇到呢度可以自行離場)
Attention Seeking
Higgins、Pinkering同Eliza响Embassy Ball之後嘅表現。兩個男人互相恭維祝賀,完全無視咗個女嘅努力,無人打算到去恭喜吓Eliza。去到發現Eliza唔見咗,佢哋就肴晒頭,好地地做咩唔見咗人?(A Hymn to Him)
What in all of heaven could’ve prompted her to go,
After such a triumph as the ball?
What could’ve depressed her;What could’ve possessed her?
I cannot understand the wretch at all.
諗多兩諗,Higgins就開始問點解女人唔可以似男人呢?點解女人要咁麻煩?
Why can’t a woman take after a man?
Men are so pleasant, so easy to please;
Wherever you’re with them, you’re always at ease.Would you be slighted if I didn’t speak for hours? “Of course not”
Would you be livid if I had a drink or two? “Nonsense.”
Would you be wounded if I never sent you flowers? “Never.”
Well, why can’t a woman be like you?
Higgins 覺得女人真係好麻煩,成日要人理佢,而男人就係比較優秀嘅物種,容易相處唔會Attention seeking,更加唔會冇Attention就發脾氣。其實我好同意佢嘅呢種講法,只係我唔覺得呢件事係關有J冇J事,而係社會嘅薰陶。同埋其實男人都係Attention seeking的,只係冇女人咁容易辨認,或者通常都係女人擔當咗seek嗰個角色。
女人係被社會塑造同教導成需要男人或者其他人注意力嘅生物。起碼,我要承認22歲之前我都覺得我需要其他人,尤其係我生命中重要嘅男性生物嘅注意力。個感覺係,無人理我/鍾意我/畀注意力我,我會覺得好失落,冇自我價值咁樣。好多童話故事或者細個睇嘅電視劇,都會令到女孩子有一個感覺係愛情就係一個人嘅價值所在。個社會令好多人覺得,「有人鍾意」係一件對自己value-added嘅事,佢嘅愛係令我更加有價值。
以前會覺得,兩個人相處你一定要成副心機放晒響我度,如果唔係叫咩「相處」,而我當時嘅男朋友就覺得「我Physically present咪相處緊囉」於是繼續打機。我當時係一個無安全感冇self-worth嘅女孩子,要不停靠外物(男朋友)去不停validate我嘅存在同價值,男朋友如果有一秒冇表達到佢對我嘅喜歡,擔心同不安就會鋪天蓋地而至,「係咪我唔重要、佢係咪唔愛我」,然後我就會passive aggressive,用負面嘅情緒做手段去獲得我需要嘅肯定 — 即係令佢氹返我去令我肯定我有價值我被愛。
加上當時個社會pre-set咗女性係應該用 Male Gaze去睇自己,或者應該咁樣講啦,我被薰陶成一個好在意其他人睇法嘅女孩子,所以就會無所不用其極去塑造自己響人哋心目中嘅形象。呢樣嘢其實好自我中心,講到尾我都只係在意我自己,而Attention Seeking就係咁樣思維下嘅產物。我去為咗令自己舒服,所以以情緒為手段,去攞我想要嘅反應,去令到自己感到舒服。
呢個係我響好多女性朋友同自己身上觀察到嘅行為模式,其實講到尾係自我價值低落、覺得自己唔值得、覺得自己唔夠好乜乜乜嘅表徵。
經過咗兩年,22歲我終於覺得自己擺脫咗呢個模式,無咁自我中心,唔再當隔離果個男性生物係一件工具,一件負責畀安全感同自我價值嘅工具。我可以真係當佢人咁看待、相處同互動,無再有你要點點點對我嘅期待。同埋亦都建立咗自己嘅價值,相信自己唔需要其他人嘅喜歡去add value,接受自己就係咁嘅樣唔再去嘗試控制其他人嘅睇法。
至於男人其實都一樣,其實全人類都一樣,大家都需要Attention,如果唔係嗰啲咩欲擒故縱嘅溝女/仔技巧點解萬試萬靈,點解千千萬萬嘅少男少女,仍然會為咗明知燈蛾撲火嘅迷戀、唔健康嘅關係而典床典蓆?只係咁啱我哋生活與「父權社會」,扭計要attention嘅擔子大多落响女人身上。落標籤亦都太方便,所以女人就成為Attention seeking嘅代表咁解。
「由你第一日識我,你就知我係仆街架啦」
以上為真實對白,近期真係有個人咁同我講。
Higgins係我睇過咁多套劇入面,最尖酸刻薄、最腹黑、最無人性、最鐘意戲弄(aka撚鳩)人、恃才傲物、有啲不可一世嘅男人角色,呢排我睇番MFL嘅時候,我發現我嘅意中人嘅人物設定同Higgins其實相差無幾,你想唔想像到我有幾震撼。
有一個階段我真係有覺得大佬咁樣唔掂喎嘅感覺,同佢講「呀你知唔知你個人都真係幾仆街」,然後佢同我講「下,由你第一日識我,你就知我仆街啦」。當時我係覺得「(港女tone)妖 being nice won’t kill you and you don’t have to be such an asshole lor DLLM」然後下刪幾千字對話/無聊內心小劇場/現實情節。
早幾日重睇套戲,我發現有個一模一樣嘅對話,嗰一刻我呆咗。
HIGGINS: If you come back I shall treat you just as I have always treated you. I can’t change my nature; and I don’t intend to change my manners. My manners are exactly the same as Colonel Pickering’s.
ELIZA: That’s not true. He treats a flower girl as if she was a duchess.
HIGGINS: And I treat a duchess as if she was a flower girl.
ELIZA: I see. The same to everybody.
HIGGINS: Just so.
HIGGINS: The question is not whether I treat you rudely, but whether you ever heard me treat anyone else better.
ELIZA: I don’t care how you treat me. I don’t mind your swearing at me. I don’t mind a black eye: I’ve had one before this. But I won’t be passed over.
HIGGINS: Then get out of my way; for I won’t stop for you. You talk about me as if I were a motor bus.
LIZA: So you are a motor bus: all bounce and go, and no consideration for anyone. But I can do without you: don’t think I can’t.
HIGGINS: I know you can. I told you you could.
睇完果一刻我發現,其實Higgins其實無錯,Eliza都冇錯。錯嘅係兩者都對對方有所期待。Eliza覺得「待人接物應該點點點」,Higgins覺得「我對個個都係咁,其實對你算好好」。但大家想要嘅嘢、畀到嘅嘢唔吻合,即係做唔到無期望又100% 接受對方嘅樣子,no deal。
Higgins有少少唔捨得,又傲嬌,於是對話繼續:
HIGGINS: You never asked yourself, I suppose, whether I could do without YOU.
ELIZA: Don’t you try to get round me. You’ll HAVE to do without me.
HIGGINS: I can do without anybody. I have my own soul: my own spark of divine fire. But I shall miss you, Eliza. I have learnt something from your idiotic notions: I confess that humbly and gratefully. And I have grown accustomed to your voice and appearance. I like them, rather.
ELIZA: Well, you have both of them on your gramophone and in your book of photographs. When you feel lonely without me, you can turn the machine on. It’s got no feelings to hurt.
HIGGINS: I can’t turn your soul on. Leave me those feelings; and you can take away the voice and the face. They are not you.
ELIZA: Oh, you ARE a devil. You can twist the heart in a girl as easy as some could twist her arms to hurt her. Mrs. Pearce warned me. Time and again she has wanted to leave you; and you always got round her at the last minute. And you don’t care a bit for her. And you don’t care a bit for me.
HIGGINS: I care for life, for humanity; and you are a part of it that has come my way and been built into my house. What more can you or anyone ask?
ELIZ:. I won’t care for anybody that doesn’t care for me.
睇到呢一刻,我心入面覺得呢對人物真係好可愛,明明就在意、明明就覺得對方係特別嘅人,但就礙於面子同唔肯定對方嘅心意而一味扭屎忽花。下一個念頭就係覺得「中箭添」。
「愛就係選擇,選擇就係捨棄,犧牲就係意義」固然係真理,不過我想加多句「愛就係肯take risk,take risk就係願意脆弱,脆弱就係可能會受傷害」。去承認一個人對自己重要,需要勇氣,講咗出口等於你對住自己同對方承認咗呢個事實,唔知點解係一件感覺脆弱嘅事。尤其係愛係冇保證嘅大冒險,愛一個人係從來冇做過嘅事(冇兩個人嘅dynamics會一樣),同踏出comfort zone一樣,都係令人不安。要有能力承受呢啲不安,首先一個人要可以自立,要有能力處理好自己、愛自己先可以做到。不然只會變返seek attention嘅情況。
由於篇幅太長我就唔再quote Higgins 同Eliza嘅對話了,但段對話真係超級值得深思,同埋睇住兩個人扭住屎忽花表白係真係幾有趣。
我從中學到嘅嘢係,愛真係接受一個人,100%接受,唔改變佢。就算佢再尖酸刻薄再鍾意戲弄你都好,你自己揀架係。你冇得揀完之後抱怨點解佢唔聽我講去減肥、點解佢唔滿足我期望去陪多啲我、點解佢乜乜乜。因為佢無必要滿足你嘅期望,因為你唔係真係愛佢,因為你只係因為「會有回報/反應嘅前提」去同呢個人交往。你一開始揀個陣唔見你有咁多不滿架喎,點解突然間又唔鍾意佢呢樣嗰樣?你唔滿意嘅,咪分手咪離開,無得又要威又要戴頭盔。
最尾Eliza送返上門,選擇咗接受Higgins from day one就係一個仆街。
係愛呀,哈利。