Category Archives: Recent Reviews

Review: Holly Cole with Vancouver Symphony, Dec 15/16, 2004

Holly Cole in concert with Vancouver Symphony, Dec 15/16, 2004

Orpheum Theatre, Vancouver BC.

Holly Cole puts on a wonderful Christmas concert.  Wednesday's show was the 5th time I had seen the Christmas concert with the Vancouver Symphony.  This Canadian jazz-diva, loves to put the “spin” in her jazz interpretations as well as the “twist” into her Christmas songs. She delights in finding the irony to innocent songs such as Dedicated to the One I Love, The Street Where You Live, Trust In Me, and for this Christmas Concert, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, turning them into songs of obsession.  As well she is not afraid of explore the deeper and darker aspects of Christmas, and includes such songs as “If We Can Make It Through December”, and “2000 Miles” in her set list.

Holly was born for Christmas.  In fact, she was named Holly, because she was born exactly one month before Christmas on November 25th, and she has always delighted in exploring all the aspects of Christmas… dark… light… joyful… depressive… hopeful… sad…   This latest Christmas concert was no exception.  Great concert. Holly was having so much fun, she was actually jumping up and down when she walked on stage, and as she talked to the audience between songs.

She opened with a high energy Santa song which I didn't recognize… then transitioned into the Vince Guerardi (Chalrlie Brown Christmas) song “Christmas Time” is here. Old Black Magic followed, then she introduced a topic about Christmas time being the spirit of giving… but pointed out that if there is giving then there must be “getting.” “Here's a song about the getting”… Santa Baby.

The songs of the evening included old chestnuts, and surprises. Lots of Christmas songs not recorded on her Christmas collections, the most recently released “Baby, It's Cold Outside.

She started to introduce a song that she wanted to dedicate to her dog… and went into a story about Rhoda, her Belgian shepherd, and how although she had passed away, singing this song always made her think of her… and then she went into another story about the last time she was in Vancouver at the Orpheum and brought Rhoda out on stage – a dog in the audience barked! Somebody had a seeing eye dog… and anyways this dog barked. Then somebody in the audience barked. “Me and My Shadow.”

Other than giving you the set list – which might ruin some surprise tunes for you.  Holly finished the main part of her show with the song that she normally describes as “spiritual” – her stunning version of the Johnny Nash classic that she has made her own, “I Can See Clearly Now.”  This particular in-concert version builds from the opening bass lines and piano runs.  Halfway through, it suddenly swells with the lush accompaniment of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.  It builds to a peak with a saxophone solo joining the orchestra to its transcendent finale. 

Holly and her band took their bows, and walked off stage, returning after the usual applause.  My girlfriend called for an encore, shouting out “Baby It's Cold Outside,” until she remembered… “Oh yeah… it's a duet.”  But Holly did perform “Baby, It's Cold Outside,” on her last Christmas tour in 2001. Her drummer Mark Kelso sang the Ed Robertson lines.  But this time… Hollye had a new drummer with her and while he did some background vocals, he did NOT do the duet “Baby It's Cold Outside” with Holly… darn…

Surprise unexpected encore… “Calling You” from the Canadian produced film “Bagdhad Cafe,”  followed by an old chestnut – “Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday.”

Good concert… Wonderful Holiday tradition

Interesting notes…  Mark Fewer, the newly appointed VSO concertmaster performed on the “Baby, It's Cold Outside” album as part of the album orchestra – performing Baby, It's Cold Outside, Santa Baby, 'Zat You Santa Claus, Wildwood Carol, and What is this Lovely Fragrance?

CBC TV's The National features Todd Wong & Gung Haggis Fat Choy on Dec 7, Tuesday

Dec 6th, 2004

- For immediate Release -

CBC Television’s The National features:

Todd Wong & Gung Haggis Fat Choy

On Tuesday Dec 7th, CBC TV's The National looks at life in one of Canada's most integrated cities, Vancouver BC. Urban Road Stories visits Todd Wong and his intercultural creation: Gung Haggis Fat Choy, also known as Toddish McWong's Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner.   The show airs live on CBC NewsWorld at 6pm and locally on The National at 10pm.

The story follows a rehearsal with the musical fusion band Brave Waves, featuring bagpiper Joe McDonald and drummer Harish Kumar with Wong playing accordion. Haggis wun tun and spring rolls are also served up. News anchor Peter Mansbridge will then talk in person with Wong.

Wong’s 10 course Chinese dinner event + haggis, has been simultaneously described as "wacky", "whimsical", "Monty Pythonesque", and "very Canadian." It inspired the 2004 CBC Television special Gung Haggis Fat Choy, nominated for two Leo awards and produced by Out to See Production’s Moyra Rodgers.

The dinner blends together Scottish-Canadian and Chinese-Canadian cultural traditions, as well as creating some new ones. This "little" fundraiser dinner for Asian Canadian Writers' Workshop and the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team once started out as a dinner for 16, and now 700 are expected for dinner on January 30th, 2005. Floata is the 4th restaurant to host this dinner event, which almost doubles in size each year, quickly outgrowing 3 previously used restaurants.

Special co-host for 2005, will be Shelagh Rogers, host of CBC Radio's Sounds Like Canada. It was in September 2004, that Toddish McWong first created haggis wun tun as a special gift for Rogers, when she and her flagship morning show relocated to Vancouver from Toronto. Joining them as co-host will be Tom Chin of Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre.

Performers for the event include: bagpiper Joe McDonald and his band Brave Waves, and contemporary hip-hop songstress LaLa – both featured in the Gung Haggis Fat Choy television special. Also joining them areOpera Soprano Heather Pawsey; Governor General's Award winning poet Fred Wah; Scottish Highland dancing brothers Vincent and Cameron Collins + many more special guests such as Vancouver Mayor Larry Campbell.

Wong and the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team will also be featured on the French television show Thalassa, shown on TV5 on December 10,11 & 12.

Tickets for Gung Haggis Fat Choy are now on sale at Firehall Arts Centre Box Office: 604-689-0926.

Earlybird price is $50 regular, $45 for students, $35 for children 12 and under. After Jan 2, the regular price is $60 and $55 for students, $45 for children 12 and under.

Gung Haggis Fat Choy events will be:

  • Dec 31 - First Night Vancouver @ QE Plaza & CBC Plaza
  • Jan 17 - Gung Haggis Fat Choy World Poetry Night @ Vancouver Public Library
  • Jan 28 - SFU Gung Haggis Fat Choy Highland Games @ Simon Fraser University
  • Jan 30 – Gung Haggis Fat Choy: Toddish McWong’s Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner

For More information check out www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com

or call Todd Wong at 604-987-7124 or e-mail at gunghaggis@yahoo.ca

Harry Aoki's First Friday Forum: Dec 3

Friday, Dec. 3  7:30 pm

First Friday Forum with Harry Aoki Ensemble

Presented by Harry Aoki Ensemble

National Nikkei Heritage Centre, #100-6688 Southoaks Crescent, Burnaby

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Harry plays his chromatic harmonica, accompanied by Tembo on African drum, Kyra on cello and John on trumpet – photo courtesy of John Endo Greenaway

Harry Aoki is a man who gets excited about discovering the journeys that music takes between cultures.  Once a month he brings together friends with musical influences from around the world and invites them to play with him.  He also interweaves stories about how music travels between and transcends cultures.

Usually they each perform pieces solo or in ensemble in their chosen genres, and Harry plays with them on his Bass, or one of his many harmonicas.  Sometimes they will perform music on the spot when Harry hands them a written score.  To close the evening, there is often an improvisational piece building from a single note to a multi-voice or multi-instrument wall of intermingling sounds, that will gently ease back to the beginning note.  Harry loves these improvisational pieces.

Tonight, joining Harry were a number of musicians: African drummer Tembo, celtic violinist Max Nguen, Cellist Kiara, + many others. Harry is always a thoughtful host, weaving in his stories about the musicians he meets, and how music from one country, is inter-related somehow to another country far away.  Tonight he told a story about how a Greek musician once complimented him on how well he played a Greek song.  “That was a Japanese song!” exclaimed Harry, explaining how Greek music was very close to Persian music, and how the Silk Road was a conduit for not only silk and spices, but also for songs.  The song was then played on violin, cello, clarinet, piano with Harry playing finger cymbals.  The clarinet sounded very middle eastern, amidst the rhythms of the cello and piano.  It immediately reminded me of the Saint-Saens composition “Samson and Delilah Bacchanale” that is one of my favorite pieces to play on my concert accordion.

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Harry's Clarinet String Ensemble featuring ? on clarinet, Kyra on Cello, Max on Violin, Harry on Bass – photo courtesy of John Endo Greenaway

After a brief intermission, Harry explained that the evening's program was also being sponsored by the Vancouver Opera as part of their Views of Japan a program that highlighted programs related to and created by the Vancouver Japanese Canadian artistic and performing community.  http://www.vanopera.bc.ca/community/viewsofjapan.html

Harry then invited the Japanese Consul to say a few words.  The consul thanked all the musicians and the music lovers in the audience, and also invited the audience to attend a concert at UBC Robson Square Auditorium that would highlight a Japanese choir and famous musicians, he said.

The evening's program continued with one man playing a traditional japanese stringed instrument, accompanied by a fellow on an African djembe drum.  On a celtic theme, Harry's string ensemble played a celtic, then a scottish tune led by Max Nguen on violin.  This was followed by a female singer performing a classical piece, then a Scottish popular song.  Finally the evening closed with many of the musicians on stage for some group pieces.

It was an enjoyable musical evening, and Harry explained that some of the expected musicians had cancelled sick, and that his planned program for the evening was instead improvised.  It wasn't professional production standards, but then Harry explained that the group only gets together the Friday before to go through the planned set list, and then it is up to Harry to host, and adjust pieces and performers as he best thinks should happen.

Harry Aoki and his musical ensemble often performs during Asian Heritage Month, and he has performed for Gung Haggis Fat Choy with vocalist Margaret Gallagher.  I really enjoy Harry's musical vision and authority.  For the 2003 GHFC dinner, he easily suggested musical directions, and I welcomed them.  One of the highlights of the 2003 GHFC dinner was having a “spontaneous band” suddenly appear to accompany myself on accordion and 13 year old Alex Sachs on violin as we performed Hungarian Dance No. 5 by Brahms, with Harry on bass.

Check out the pictures taken by John Endo Greenaway, managing editor of The Bulletin, published by the Japanese Canadian Citizens' Association.

Madama Butterfly Review: Vancouver Opera Nov 27 to Dec 11

Madama Butterfly: Review

Vancouver Opera

November 29th, 2004

Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver BC.

Vancouver Opera's 2004 production of Puccini's Madama Butterfly is not only exciting on stage, it is exciting in the Vancouver community, and has created a good buzz, especially through the creation of the Views of Japan community outreach program.

Madam Butterfly is one of the most controversial and most loved operas in the North American Asian community, due to the importance of Asian roles and storyline as well as the reinforcement of Asian stereotypes.  The 2004 VOA production has a bit of everything, especially an Asian Soprano in the lead role of Cio-Cio San, Chinese-Canadian Liping Zhang.  But more importantly, the VOA production attempts to go beyond the stereotyping and to provide a deeper understanding of Japanese culture, that Puccini probably wasn't even able to grasp in his day, as his opera was based on play and not on an actual visit to Japan.

The curtain is open with a raked raised stage in the middle of the stage floor.  This is the Japanese home, complete with shoji screens.  The story begins with American Officer Lt. Pinkerton (Scott Piper) explaining to the American Consul Sharpless (Gregory Dahl), that he has just taken out a 999 year lease on a house, and has arranged through Goro the marriage broker to take a 15 year old Geisha as a wife… and when he feels like it, he can cancel both on 30 days short notice. 

Piper and Dahl both sing in good strong voices, as Sharpless cautions Pinkerton that his devil may care / enjoy life no matter the cost attitude will have a devastating effect on the young bride. But Pinkerton is so enamoured of the young bride's fragile beauty, that he goes through with his plans.  And so begins a now classic tale of mistaken cultural understanding and insensitivity as both Pinkerton and Cio-Cio San have different expectations for the marriage.

Cio-Cio San (Liping Zhang) arrives and it is learned that as part of the celebration of her marriage to an American, she has now forsaken her Buddhist beliefs and embraced Christianity, in an effort to become more American.  It is in this first act that Zhang plays a young teen-aged girl, giddy with marriage, yet restrained in her inexperience.  It isn't until Act 2, set 3 years later, as a love-lorn abandoned bride with no returning husband in sight, that Zhang's vocal power and theatrical presence really establish themselves.

Meanwhile, all around the outside of the house, are figures clad in dust grey ninja-like robes. They move like ghosts, these are known as the “ancient ones.” This is an addition by director Glynis Leyshon, that reinforces and strengthens the unseen ties to tradition and culture that Cio-Cio San can never completely free herself from.  While many viewers might see the slow moving silent figures as a distraction, I personally found it fascinating.  My companion (who has seen Madam Butterfly 6 previous times by different companies) was equally struck by the added dimension that the figures brought to the stage.  The slow Butoh-like movements reminded me of the many performances that I had seen of Vancouver's Kokoro Dance Theatre, led by Jay Hirabayashi.

The musical highlights in Act 2, soared with Zhang's singing of one of the most famous arias ever, “Un Bel Dei”, as Cio-Cio San declares to her maid Suzuki (Julie Nesrallah), that no matter how much the community is talking, and Goro is trying to set her up with another husband, or that her family has disowned her – she still has faith that her beloved husband, the erstwhile globe-sailing American sailor, will return home to her.  Zhang demonstrated why she has made this role her own, and is now recognized internationally.  Her range of dynamics demonstrated great control from soaring voice to almost a whisper.

And on the day that she sees an American Naval ship arrive in the harbour, her joy erupts.  Cio-Cio San orders Suzuki to decorate the house with flowers until the garden is bare.  Flower petals gently fall on the stage as if from heaven.  But it is in Japanese culture, that while heigh of the cheery tree blossoms are a scene of exquisite and sublime beauty, it is also recognized that soon will come a time of great sadness, when the blossoms must fall.

With great anticipation, Cio-Cio San begins her long vigil for her husband's return.  The lighting effects subtlely recognize the shifting of time from day to evening, to night and to dawn.  Zhang looks patiently into the audience, as the Vancouver Opera orchestra plays the plaintive “Hummer's chorus”.  As if  to demonstrate the emotional aguish within Butterfly, two of the “ancient one” take the entire song to move the 5 minutes across the stage, while others move on either side of the “house set.”

It is in the final scene that the “ancient ones” really fulfill their role, as they first assist Butterfly in preparing for her inevitable choice of honourable suicide in the face of Pinkerton's return to Japan with an American bride, despite her having born a child of him in his absence.  These “ancient ones” hand Butterfly her father's sword, as they help her bind herself.  When Pinkerton finally dashes into the house which he remembers only as a “love nest”, he is met with a prone Butterfly.  He tries to reach her but a circle of “ancient ones” form a protective ring around her, to greatly increased psychological and dramatic effect.

Vancouver Opera director James Wright has  done an incredible amount of community building to bring an understanding to the opera audience of both Vancouver's Japanese Canadian community and the Japan of the Meiji Period where Puccini's opera is set.  It is almost as if VOA has followed the lead of the Vancouver Public Library's award winning One Book One Vancouver program which very successfully helped make the inaugural book Wayson Choy's The Jade Peony, come alive through author talks, related topics, and walking tours… Damn! That's exactly what VOA is doing… One Opera One Vancouver!  Complete with Opera Speaks talks at the libary.

Does all this community programming help the production?  I think it has helped to make the 1906 opera more vital and interesting in these times of cross-cultural examination.  It is with having attended some of the Views of Japan events at the library, that I attended Madama Butterfly on Tuesday evening with an even greater appreciation of Japanese culture, and for what it means for Canadians and Japanese Canadians.

Madly Off in All Directions – live at Vogue Theatre in Vancouver

Saturday night in Vancouver… I have two tickets to the CBC show, Madly Off in All Directions http://www.cbc.ca/madlyoff/.  I think my girlfriend is relieved that we are not going to see anymore experimental theatre this week.

This stand up comedy show is an absolute delight.  I have only previously heard it on CBC radio.  I wish I could have brought my parents, they would have fit right in.  Sitting in the audience, I look around… lots of white Canadians… hardly anybody who looks like me in sight… lots of 50+ and 60+ Canadians… Gee it looks like it could be a crowd for an Anne Murrary concert or for Don Messer's Jubilee back in the '70's.  Definitely a very traditional CBC Radio audience.

But host Lorne Elliot http://www.lorne-elliott.com/ is a madcap genius.  Very funny.  Lorne really got the audience going.  Very fun crowd.  He got the audience to go “Awrrr,” for a sea shanty, and the audience couldn't stop.  We said “Awrrr,” for many responses – appropriate and inappropriate.  I think Lorne liked the attention.

And so are all the young guest comics on the show.  Did I say young? 20-Something, 30-Something, even 40-Something…

Outstanding was Todd Butler! Like Lorne, Todd (I love that name!) plays guitar and works in his comical folk and political songs.  T.J. Dawes was a favorite of my girlfriend, who had known him from their days working the Victoria Fringe Festival (she, my girlfriend, worked the Box Office).

And special musical guests were Tiller's Folly www.tillersfolly.com  During intermission, I was sitting in my seat, and a long lanky familiar-looking man comes up to shake my hand asking “How're you doing?”  Omigod, it is Laurence Knight, band leader, manager and bass player for Tiller's Folly.  We had met back in 2002 at a conference in Ottawa and had a great time.  Tiller's Folly specialize in creating stories about BC's history, and I had recommended them for inclusion for the CBC TV special “Gung Haggis Fat Choy.”  But alas it was not to be…  maybe for the future?

After the show, I was invited to have drinks with the cast and to meet the producer/director of Madly Off in All Directions, Bryan Hill.  Bryan is a great guy, and was introduced to me by Joan Athey, CBC Radio's marketing and publicity whiz.  Bryan wants to hook up with more Asian Canadian comics.  “I can do that,” I said, as I proceeded to tell him about my friends at Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre www.vact.ca such as Tom Chin, and their wonderful Asian Comedy Night.  All in an evening's work in networking!

Battery Opera: Reptile-Diva Nov 16-20, 2004

Reptile-Diva runs Nov 16-20, Roundhouse Community Centre in Vancouver. www.batteryopera.com

Battery Opera opened their new show Reptile-Diva last night at the Roundhouse in Vancouver.  It was exciting and surprising… as I anticipatingly awaited each next word or move by Battery Opera founders and performers Lee Su-Feh and David MacIntosh.

Reptile-Diva blends dance, martial arts, song and performance art all together in a highly entertaining and provocative performance that is actually a compilation show that re-configures 3 different earlier works: A Character (1992), Brick (1996) and Domestik (1999). 

This unique combination is self-described as “two characters journey through cultural debris and construction materials, looking for love, losing their skins…” and creates a scenario that also incorporates and utilizes autobiographical intrigue about this unique husband-and-wife team that claims to have met in 1985 when McIntosh was riding a bicycle in Kota Baru and was hit by a car, and Su-Feh found him in the street bleeding.

But everything about Battery Opera seems to be like that.  It hits hard like a car… or in McIntosh's solo piece, a brick… or as in Su-Feh's solo piece, it bleeds… literally with pain and red paint as she splatters a brush on a large sheet of paper.

The shock that anything could happen, or that anything could be said is like a distillation of Life, or in this case their lives, as they recount stories from their past experience.  They tease them out, drawing on the familiar that everybody can relate to somewhere at sometime, juxtaposing cultural references seemingly at odds with itself, then transformed into a new context.  Everything is relative and everything depends on perception.  McIntosh and Su-Feh shift the sands of perception and art and ask the audience to see and listen in new ways.  You can almost hear the audience go “Aha!” or “Oh…” or “What the hell?” as one tries to make sense of the performance.  Okay… maybe it was just me not having seen experimental dance/theatre for awhile, as this was the first time I witnessed Battery Opera live in performance.  But this was exciting!

A Character opened the show and alternated in with Brick, each divided into 3 sections.  Su-Feh steps out in an Asian martial arts-like costume, performing an exercise with a sword.  A sexy red beaded dress hangs suspended and captures her attention.  Thus begins a tale and dance of seduction, perception and identity.

Brick challenges the concept of work, based on McIntosh's own experience in the construction industry. Three monologues each provoke the audience about the qualities and perception of work. 

Domestik was presented after the intermission, Su-Feh describes it as “some kind of ode to living 19 years with the same man.” In this piece, Su-Feh starts by sweeping the floor with an Asian style broom, while McIntosh works out with a punching bag.  A dialogue of movement and sound begins, transitioning into a domestic dispute that most of the audience could relate to in their own lives as confirmed by the knowing laughter.  Echoes of the earlier pieces seemed to appear, as Su-Feh performs martial arts moves with the broom.

How does one truly write a review of Battery Opera? I can only say, it has to be seen to be believed.  Entertaining and memorable, Battery Opera creates a dynamic tension between performers, between audience and actors, between concepts and ideas.  Definitely something to encourage your friends to see.

Bangkok Ladyboyz: Review Oct 20 – Plush @ Plaza of Nations, Vancouver Bc

Bangkok Ladyboyz: Plush @ Plaza of Nations

Oct 20-21, 2004 Vancouver BC
www.bkladyboyz.com

“You will enjoy the show for sure,” my friends who had seen ladyboyz
shows in Thailand assured me. So when, the announcer invited the
audience to come down from their seats to the front of the stage to
create a concert atmosphere, my friends and I went down to floor to get
the best view of transgendered male bodies in scanty costumes
lip-synching to techno dance songs.

“What are ladyboyz shows like in Thailand?” I asked my friend
Laura who had once taught ESL in Thailand and Korea. “A lot of fun…
they have the shows in theatre halls with 500 people. All the tourists
go.”

Opening the show were 5 local male dancers, dancing a choreographed performance to The Village People’s Macho Man.
What struck me is that very often, we don’t get to see Asian males as
sexy dancers or in positive roles, on my mind since the Vancouver Asian
Film Festival will be sponsoring a forum on profiles of Asian Males in
film on November 6th. But here were 5 males doing their best to engage
the audience to sing and dance, and it seemed perfectly natural in a
dance club filled with mostly Asians, curious middle aged White men,
and the few white younger females.

Then the hype got higher… and the Bangkok Ladyboyz took the stage
one by one, in scanty Las Vegas type show costumes, as four performed,
each taking turns lip-synching on a verse and performing together on
the chorus. Women or men? Beautiful and graceful? Which one had the
operation? Who is your favorite? These are the important questions the
audience is asking itself!

The fifth ladyboy came out with a blonde wig looking like a cross
between Tina Turna and Debbie Harry, lip-synching to Blondie’s One Way Or Another.
And the music continued: Kylie Minogue, Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez.
And the costumes continued: bustiers, fishnet stockings, leather,
see-through lace…

East meets West cultural fusion? Well maybe if you understand the
Thai creation mythology behind the ancient traditional dance moves
being co-opted into a blend of Western contemporary hip hop music. The
ladyboy Cindy creates a mesmerizing dance routine starting by holding
tea candles in the palms of her hand in a scene remniscent of an
ancient temple ritual, progressing to belly dancing type moves, all
dressed in elaborate jewelry laden costume. Other scenarios portrayed
included school girl turned naughty, leather cat fight, revealing
evening gowns – all standard stuff of traditional male sex fantasies.
Except these performers are transgendered males!

Despite the occasional wardrobe malfunction that revealed ample
displays and peeks of silicon enhanced bosom, this was not a strip show
or even burlesque nor was it a female impersonator show. It is a
lip-synch show that highlights the beauty and performing talents of the
best of these trangendered performers that in Thai tradition are known
as the “kathoey” or “third sex”, an accepted part of South East Asian
culture that lives integrated with the mainstream.

But what kind of people came to see Bangkok Ladyboyz? I was
expecting to see Vancouver’s transexual community out in full force,
but maybe the $45 price tag was too high for a show that tourists in
Bangkok or Pattaya that would cost about $15 Cdn. Well it certainly
wasn’t the crowd from the Dufferin Hotel Pub where the gay waiters all
dress in drag for special events.

In the audience were Chinese grandmothers! And they lined up for
pictures with the Bangkok Ladyboyz after the show. Middle aged Asian
men showed up with their wives. Middle aged White heterosexual men
showed up with their Thai girlfriends. Young Asian men and women showed
up looking like couples on a date. Omigod… it was a normal Asian crowd,
leading me to think that this kind of entertainment is the norm in
Thailand and Asia. And why wouldn’t it be? It’s an entertaining show…
with an enthusiastic audience that all the exotic dancers at Brandi’s
and the Cecil would love to have… plus they wouldn’t have to take their
clothes off.

The next time I am in Thailand, I will definitely take in a ladyboy
show. Not only is the show entertaining – but the cultural intrigue
persists… How do these ladyboyz manage to keep such figures that boast
35-26-36 measurements? Is there something in the Asian male physique
that allows them to look so feminine? What would happen if the Bangkok
Ladyboyz invaded a Hell’s Angel Club meeting… probably end up sitting
on the bikers’ laps, flirting and encouraging multicultural East Meets
West fusion.

And which ladyboy was my personal favorite? That’s my own secret…
but he/she was standing beside me when I had my picture taken with them
after the show.

check out the website for pictures and more at www.bkkladyboyz.com

Terracotta Warriors deserves standing ovations on repeated viewings

I saw Terracotta Warriors again on Tuesday May 25, at the Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts.
It stands up very well to repeated viewing. And I was looking at it
with a much more critical eye concerning all the recent controversy.
All the things that amazed me the first time around, still worked their
“Wow” factor, despite my knowing what was coming. I could pay more
attention to observing the details such as the enuch character’s highly
stylized dance and movements.

 

A friend recently asked me some questions about the production using
the promotional hype of the ads. Here are my answers to share with you:

Q: Were you dazzled by the lavishness and scope BEYOND a traditional Broadway show (paragraph 2)

A: The costumes are incredible… There is a lot of “Wow” factor –
due to the exoticness of the Chinese theme unfamiliar to the Western
experience. They are not exact replicas – but more of a “let's take
this to the next level…” It depends on what broadway shows you mean?
Bullets over Broadway or the Lion King. I would Love to see Lion King!
I loved Cats – despite the use of the word “Chinks” and that all
the Siamese Cats looked exactly the same – I mean you couldn't tell one
of these “heathen chinese” apart from the other!

The set: the paintings are beautiful. It's almost like imagining you
are at the Forbidden City or on the Great Wall. They have a very 3-D
like quality with very life like perspective.  There are two
Terracotta Warriors props which are HUGE! They reach from floor to
ceiling and all you can see of 2 replicas are 3/4 of them. It allows
the imagination to visualize the rest reaching 10 stories high.

Q: Were you immersed in the emotion, the drama, and the battles of the second century B.C. (paragraph 3)

A: There is an incredible scene where one of the young lovers… is
dancing with the corpse of her dead lover. Beautifully choreographed
pas de deux. I thought it was an amazing idea. Rather than just boo-hoo
over him and dance around him, she pulls him up to dance with him,
pulling his corpse with her, and rolling along the ground with himI
couldn't recall seeing this theme ever before. She also incorporates
the Chinese dance technique with long sleeves – using them like ribbons.

 

Another pas de deux – very risque is the seduction scene, the
Emperor's Mother with her lover – actually performing many positions of
the “Tao of Love” – The audience must be thinking “Can they show this?
Is this alright for children to see?” These two dances for me were as
interesting as the battle scenes. Seeing the martial artists performing
with 3 staff rods, whips, swords and spears was definitely another WOW!
Having some knowledge of martial arts in knowing that a body can lean
against the spear point and survive is not known by everybody – some
Westerners must be thinking… it's rubber.

Q: Was it a musical and action thrill-ride (paragraph > 4)

A: Most definitely… There is constant music and movement. Even
between set changes, watching live musicians beside the stage in front
of the procenium arch is very exciting.

Q: Did you/do you remember the final sequence of the “Dance of the Terracotta Warriors” (last line)

The soldiers come out of the fog – there is a painted back drop and
it looks like hundreds behind them. They are marching and dancing –
just enough out of “military precision” to give the effect that each
soldier is a unique individual. But then I knew that each real
terracotta warrior is supposed to be uniquely crafted. It was not the
desire to make each warrior exactly the same. Even their costumes are
all slightly different. It's a pretty cool scene.

Q: I mean, I think you were entertained… (first page, > under the tag line)

Definitely entertained. I would definitely go see it again – if my
budget allowed me too. But I would have to choose between going to see
Cirque at a higher price. If I had the money – I would go see Cirque.
If I only had half the money, TCW is a good value for the dollar
Cheapest seats are $45 for a matinee and you can get 20% off from
various deals around town – like on my website.

Q: Hyperbolae aside, I do think that critics are allowed to
respond in some way to the claims made by advertising… and if the
show doesn't match up to its claims (cross-cultural misunderstandings
not withstanding tee hee)… well, they're allowed to say so…

A: Oh most definitely – and if they feel that they are getting
deceived – for sure. But if they are not understanding the production –
they also have to ask themselves why? And admit if they don’t
understand it, rather than say it is a flop as Alexandra Gill did. I
think it is important to note that none of the media has actually sent
a reviewer who is Asian or has knowledge of Asian culture. It would be
very interesting to read a review by Mr. Goh of Goh Ballet Academy or
Dr. Jan Walls, director of SFU International Communications and former
cultural attache to Canadian Embassy in Beijing , or Max Wyman, the
internationally renowned Vancouver dance critic.

Q: And just WHAT is an action-musical(tm)?!

A: Dr. Dennis Law invented the term. He wanted to blend in elements
of an Action-movie with the emphasis on music and singing. I think it
is more of an action – dance – with songs… but it is very different
than what is found on Broadway. imagine the fight scenes on West Side
Story… make everybody dance and have only an intermittent narrator
sing. What do you call it? An Martial Arts-Action-Ballet?

Terracotta Warriors: an exciting spectacle at the Centre in Vancouver

Tuesday was my birthday… and I went to see Terracotta Warriors at the Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts on Homer St. 
What an awesome spectacular spectacle.  There is almost constant
motion and music to this incredible production of dance, martial arts,
gymnastics and song.  It was much more exciting than seeing the Vancouver Opera production of Madame Butterfly, four years ago on my birthday.

My
girlfriend and I didn’t quite get there early enough to read through
the program and the synopsis, which is what we like to do for
non-English opera productions.  We were
excited to see this second action-musical, written, directed and
produced by Dr. Dennis Law, which combines Chinese dance with
gymnastics, song and martial arts.  While
there are no surtitles to decipher the show and the only words are
from the songs sung in Mandarin, the show is completely
understandable.  It is like watching opera sung in Italian, German
or French – none of which I understand.  It is like watching
ballet, distinct and interpretive movement tells the story through the
choreography and the body language of the dancers.

image

The
show opens as the theatre darkens and a lone figure dressed in
stylistic ancient Chinese garb appears near the elaborate Chinese drum
and percussion set off the right side of the stage.  Offstage
musicians are common in Chinese productions, and I had last seen it
used to brilliant effect in the theatre production “Mom, Dad, I'm
Living with a White Girl” written by Marty Wong.

The
large gong is struck, and the drummer plays the largest dragon boat
type drum I have ever seen.  He also moves to the Chinese bells
behind him.  Moving very distinct and theatrical-like, at this
moment – he is the show, and he knows it.  This is very different
from the musicians in a Western style orchestra pit – where musicians
are better heard and not seen.

Stage
fog rolls out from the stage, as if a large mist had filled a
cave.  Indeed it is a cave as four peasants explore and are caught
in an earthquake.  Rocks fall and large stone warriors are
revealed.  This dramatizes the discovery of the Terracotta Army in
the mid-70's.  Up to that point, very little was known about the
weaponry and costumes of the period governed by the First Emperor of
China.  The discovery of Emperor Qin's burial mounds was one of
the most significant archeological discoveries of the 20th Century.

image

All
of the following scenes then interpret the life of Qin Shihuang
(pronounced “Chin Shi Wong”) from the time when the Qin army defeats
the army of the state of Yi.  Qin is then coronated as first
emperor of China, the country that still bears his name over 2200 years
after his unified warring states into a single country, as well as
unifying currency, written language, weights and measures, roads and
irrigation systems. 

Lush
costumes and rich pageantry fill the stage.  The battle scenes are
excitingly choreographed, with dozens of fights happening
simultaneously.  The court scenes allow for dance scenes and
elaborate costumes of the emperor's beloved concubines as well as for
the acrobats and performers of the court.  We are then presented
with wonderful displays of jumping, sword work, giant yo-yo's and plate
twirling.  These are ancient practices that have filled many
Chinese dance and Chinese opera stages over the years.  But what
makes this production different is that not only are the costumes more
elaborate, but so are the sets, lighting and production values. 
Terracotta Warriors brings Chinese tradition dance and theatre
production into the 21st Century.

image

It
is incredibly ambitious to attempt to tell the story of Qin Shihuang in
a single story, so highlights such as the discovery of his mother with
a court advisor turned conspirator, Qin's eunuch advisor, Qin's quest
for immortality and his fear of death, as well as Qin's tirades of book
burning and burying scholars alive are demonstrated.

Qin's
achievements are so vast, that the only Western leaders that can be
compared to him are Alexander the Great, Julius Cesar who each built
long lasting empires that eventually eroded, while Qin's legacy is the
longest continuous nation on earth.

In presenting the story of Qin, Dennis Law accomplishes what nobody else in North America
has ever done before.  He artistically puts Chinese art,
culture and history not only as equal with Western art, but as
historical and culturally significant.  For the greater part of
the last two hundred years, China and its culture has been regarded as inferior 3rd World quality by Western eyes. 

After
the show, Dr. Law said to my girlfriend, “You are not Chinese, did you
have any trouble understanding the story.”  Deb replied, “Oh not
at all… The actions very distinctly give you the story, and the
dancing is very broad.  Not a problem at all… and I didn't even
read the synopsis.”  Over dinner, I had given Deb a brief run
down of the life of Emperor Qin Shihuang, first emperor of China.  How he had unified China,
rising through the Period of Warring States, how he had many
concubines, and had burned books in an effort to control
knowledge, that he built both the Great Wall of China, and later the Terracotta Warriors for his burial tomb.

In Western society, the references to Asian culture are often stereotyped and have been historically racist.  Original productions of Madam Butterfly had the original libretto altered for politically correct reasons.  The
original production of Rogers and Hammerstein’s musical “Flower Drum
Song” was a pastiche of immigrant Asian clichés and was recently
re-written by renowned Chinese American playwright David Henry Hwang.  With
Terracotta Warriors, we are able to address a historical Chinese story
with the creation of an original work of art with Chinese artists
instead of a Western perspective that directs and writes how they think
the Chinese voice should act and sound.

In my own experience as I grew up in Canada during the 60's, 70's and 80's, I learned and experienced the second class-ness of being a visible minority in Canada. To
be Asian, was to be inferior, no wonder so many Asian Canadians
grew up with negative identity crises, especially after suffering
through discriminatory head tax, labour, education and
immigration restrictions, race riots,  internment camps,
property confiscation, relocation and deportation.

But
somehow, sitting in the Centre, with my mouth hanging open, watching in
awe of the acrobatic feats and the beautiful costumes and dancing – it
is more than okay to be Chinese.  It is affirming to know that I
come from a rich ancestry of culture, art, history and innovation.