Nothing new about men in female roles

While watching TV the other day, I was shocked to find that the person singing was a man in a dress.

No, I wasn't watching Hunan TV's "2010 Happy Boys", but a Peking Opera.

Liu Zhu, 19, from Sichuan province, who has been nicknamed "pseudo-girl" by his fans, has risen to stardom overnight with his cross-dressing performance in the competition - but I can't see what all the fuss is about.

Men have traditionally dressed as women in Chinese traditional operas, a practice dating back to feudal times, when women were not permitted to tread the boards. Even today, the best "female" performers are men, who play the dan roles. This was something I first saw in Chen Kaige's Farewell My Concubine, an image that has stayed with me ever since.

Throughout the history of world theater, men have dressed as women. In the time of Queen Elizabeth the First, women were not allowed on stage, and so Shakespeare's Juliet was a young man whose voice had not broken. Again, it was the skill in portraying the character that was the issue, so audiences ignored the actor's gender in favor of delivery of the lines.

So called "drag performers" have also been a mainstay of pantomime and review shows throughout the years. Traditionally "the ugly step sisters" in Cinderella have been played by burly, hairy men in ill-fitting wigs and tights, who look more like rugby forwards than ladies off to a ball.

Even I have performed in drag on stage. Many, many years ago I helped write a play for the Adelaide Fringe Festival, and was forced to cast myself as "the fairy godmother". I must have looked a terrible spectacle in fishnet stockings, an orange kilt, blue singlet, high heels and a pair of wings - but the show must go on!

The blurring of the gender line is becoming more pronounced in today's society, as a quick glance at any of the glossy "rumour" magazines shows. Lady Gaga's sudden rise to fame was somewhat blackened by accusations that she was a man - or even a hermaphrodite! However, my students have pointed out to me that she could be a pink elephant for all they care; they just enjoy her music.

As I write this, I can hear "Poker Face" echoing up from a CD player downstairs, as they go through another rehearsal of a dance routine.

So why should we be worried about Liu Zhu?

Well, I don't think we should. In a competitive world such as ours, people have to do something different to stand out from the crowd. Given that he's taking part in a TV contest, and that contest is funded by advertising sponsorship, his difference is driving up the ratings, and paying for our watching pleasure.

Ultimately, his fate rests with the voters. Perhaps the novelty will wear off, and they'll tire of him and vote him off - or not, if he continues to perform well. Only time will tell, and it's certainly early days yet for his career.

As far as I can see, he's just continuing on a long standing Chinese performing tradition, playing a female role.