Review-In Search of the Grand View Garden-CCDC
7-12-13
By: Leeann Bennett
Ah, The Dream of the Red Chamber yet again is inspiration for a dance performance though this time around it was not a classical dance but something much more modern, much more avant-garde. In Search of the Grand View Garden follows fourteen modern young people from the city enacting out their lives in the imaginary world of one of China’s great novels.
Sounds ambitious, and to a certain extent it was. Once upon a time, these dancers improvised performances in public spaces such as parks or exhibition halls where they integrated their surroundings and utilized the atmosphere. Willy Tsao, the choreographer, transferred the dancers back into a theatre where the setting is more controlled. The result is something that was technically beautiful, had great precision but no emotional connection to the audience.
The audience was treated to a glimpse of the past as right before we were allowed to our seats, the dancers glided out and gave a silent but evocative little performance right around the theatre, both inside the auditorium and outside. What came next is not for everyone. Fourteen dancers twisted and gyrated to some intense choreography on an almost bare stage wearing little black leotards with very little embellishments in either props or lighting. In one scene each of them shared a very lively monologue in Cantonese, though with no translation was offered.
For those not familiar with the novel, they will find the connections hard to grasp. The Dream of the Red Chamber only makes fleeting appearances in music, costume and minutely in the set design. Without understanding the story that inspired this dance, you will find it a little harder to appreciate the subtle qualities that give depth to the choreography.
The dancers were good technically; everyone danced flawlessly, nobody erred but it felt a little rehearsed. I don’t want to give the impression that anyone was bad. These are dancers worthy of the title of professional. But at times maybe the dance was too precise or just a little slack as if they had danced it so often they could do it in their sleep and almost did so. Instead of treating the audience to a show, it looked like they were doing a job. However I will say one dancer stood out in the final scene, Lai Tak Wai gave a powerful performance for which I commend him.
The music ranged from very traditional to the modern. The set was creative. The Fourteen red boxes were really useful. The interaction with the space was also good considering how large the Kwai Tsing Theatre stage is.
The red lanterns that appeared periodically were a nod to the more classical inspiration. However what really must be mentioned is the beautiful costumes. Opulent, lavish and richly decorated, Edmond Wong created masterpieces for the stage. Each of the fourteen costumes were unique and elaborately designed. It’s a pity that the lighting on stage didn’t always compliment them and for more than half the performance they weren't worn.
Overall, this wasn’t a bad performance. There were elements that worked really well, like the costumes. Still, it can’t be avoided that the show was hard to follow, partially because the sections were slightly disjointed. Some scenes didn’t flow. But it was also hard for me to follow as all dialogue was in Cantonese. Translation either in print or surtitles would have been nice. The rest of the show was scenes of lucid dream sequences; slow, precise and mechanical dancing with no connection to the audience. I’m not sure that was intended but it was what it came across as.
The final word on this is that for those who are used to more conventional fare, this may not be your cup of tea. If you are a fan of modern dance then In Search of the Grand View Garden is probably more up your alley and you will be treated to a good performance from the dancers of the CCDC. The price of admission is from from $140 to $500.
In Search of the Grand View Garden is playing through December 7th. For more information, click here.
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