Much has been written about Kung Fu in the press and in films. It seems that Alexander the Great was a Kung Fu expert, and that every Western film has its Kung Fu fight scenes, or wire fu as it's affectionately called in China, but to see real Kung Fu up close and personal is something else altogether.
Enter The Legend of Kung Fu the latest spectacular show from China Heaven Creation, China's leading performance art production company. The show has almost single handedly managed to reinvent the form for today's theatre-going public. By fusing Kung Fu, modern dance and acrobatics, China Heaven Creation has reintroduced the legend with Las Vegas style, and a story that is both meaningful and relevant in today's multi-media driven market.
The show focuses on a young boy found wondering outside an ancient temple somewhere in China, who dreams of becoming a Kung Fu master. As with all stories, things don't go exactly according to plan. After being taken into the temple the young novice monk called Chun Yi (the pure one) has many temptations to overcome, but through hard work and over time he conquers and finally reaches his sacred goal of enlightenment.
China Heaven Creation's first foray into the Beijing market has seen them invest over US$1m in the refurbishment of the old Chongwen District People's Culture Palace and in the production. This show stands out amongst the crowd for its production values and the money spent on the production. That investment can be seen on stage every night at The Red Theatre, Xing Fu Dajie, Chongwen District, Beijing.
The CEO of RedBANG promotions Rurik Nystrom thought it was "simply unique" and many visitors thought it was the unsurpassed show they had seen in China. Mohamed Jaidah, a visitor from Qatar, came to see the show 3 nights running, and thought it was simply "a stunning experience."
Su Shijin, the well known Chinese director, has created a visual feast for entire the family, combined with a state of the art set and new lighting and sound system. The production team, which includes top drawer talent such as composer Zheng Bing, costume designer Song Li and set designer Han Lixun, have had a field day in creating something for everyone.
The producer and conceptualiser of the show, and CEO of China Heaven Creation, Cao Xiaoning, has really bent over backwards on this one, he told us that the other shows he has created in Guilin Dreamlike Lijiang and Suzhou, Dreaming Suzhou, were all stepping stones to this show, "I always wanted to do something that shows the new, modern and vibrant China and I hope that this show proves that we are more than capable of producing home grown talent that equals if not surpasses that of the West."
Many parts of the show are almost dreamlike in appearance, from the flying fairy created in Chun Yi's mind to the fire and brimstone of the blacksmiths workshop, where the tools and armor are created. The ceiling of the theatre lights up like the night sky with twinkling stars with the little monk looking on in wonder and amazement at the spectacle set out before us.
The main innovation in this production has to be the fusing of the different elements of performance art. The modern dancers have welded elements of Kung Fu into their performance and the Kung Fu performers have adopted some of the modern dance moves creating a whole that is seamless. Some times it's hard to see where one ends and the other begins.
The management and production team have searched high and low across the length and breadth of China in its search for the best performers, and all that hard work can be seen on stage. The average age of the performers is only 17 years, but to see them perform the stunts and acrobatics belies a long and glorious tradition of performing that is synonymous with China.
The staging of this show is a fantastic achievement and considering that the whole production was put together in just 35 days, but the quality is amazing. This show leads where others only follow and sets a new benchmark for creativity. If you want falling down sets, hard to hear sound systems, and night vision goggles to see what's going on, then don't go to this show. Expect a full-blown western style extravaganza, cutting edge staging and traditional Chinese artistry. The Legend of Kung Fu pushes back the boundaries of performance art to create a new and visually stunning entertainment experience that takes Beijing into a new era of modern theatrical performance.
(China Daily December 20, 2004)
