With the rebellion fresh in people's minds, the complex socio-political environment of Guangzhou and Hong Kong exerted significant influences on the themes portrayed on stage. Guangzhou, being the earliest Chinese city to open to foreign trade, was the base of activity for many important key politicians and social reformers such as Dr Sun Yat-Sen - the foremost pioneer of the Republic of China, and Kang Youwei - leader of the Hundred Days Reform. These legendary figures sparked an intellectual curiosity that found its way into the scripts and performances of leading Cantonese opera troupes urging the audience to condemn social evil and reflect on new ideologies. This was made all the more significant because performances were finally using the regional language of Cantonese instead of Mandarin to appeal to the wider audience. On a similar strain, the introduction of Western media prompted experiments in stage design, make-up and script-writing and troupes made a concerted effort to attract audiences by performing in movies to compete directly with other Cantonese opera troupes. Adapting to the cinema brought changes in the use of stage-space, lighting, music and expression - troupes would elaborate on every aspect of their performance to stay in the competition.

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