Review-Xiqu Excerpt Performance-West Kowloon Bamboo Theatre
21-1-14
By: Meaghan McGurgan
The Bamboo Theatre at the West Kowloon Arts District is a very cultural experience that is unique to Hong Kong. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. Normally, you go and see what's on stage, but this time the artists also built the venue that houses the stage. How cool is that?
The Bamboo Theatre is dedicated to promoting the art of Chinese Opera to the people of Hong Kong. Chinese Opera, especially Cantonese Opera, is considered a dying art form with fewer and fewer artists studying it. It’s really important to observe these art forms while they are still around. The artists of the Bamboo Theatre are some of the most famous and praised for their work. If you’re planning on seeing opera this year go see it at the Bamboo Theatre. It's a very fun evening out, with lots of food, Chinese crafts and great music.
The show I saw was various selections of Xiqu opera. Xiqu is a form of opera that goes all the way back to the third century China. From my limited understanding of opera, it is my understanding that Xiqu is the form of Chinese opera that most other styles of opera later came from. It’s kinda like the genus to the species.
There were seven performances of excerpts from larger operas. Some were outstanding, some were good and one put the old man in front of me asleep. The great thing about a showcase set up is that it gives you a variety of styles to appreciate. If you hate something, you know it will be over soon.
Highlight of the evening was Trudge in the Snow from The Pearl Pagoda. It was performed with umbrella in hand by Qi Aiyun. This was one of the best performances I’ve seen in my life. He was phenomenal. His ability to do acrobatics while continually holding notes was impressive. He had amazing vocal skills, great comedic timing, beautiful movement and lit up the stage with an amazing prescence. I was in the very back of the house and he captivated me from the second he stepped on the stage. I wish they had not turned on the snow machine for this number as the loud whirring noise detracted from the performance. This performance doesn’t need fake snow to be enjoyable. Qi Aiyun is good; let him shine on his own.
Not everyone in your family will enjoy the opera. It’s a personal taste that I’ve grown to love over the past five years in Hong Kong. But I think everyone should see one while they live here. It’s of huge cultural significance to Hong Kong and you can see the basis of modern Chinese comedy in some of the movements and reactions of the characters. If you haven’t seen an opera yet I recommend the Bamboo Theatre.
It will be playing at the West Kowloon Arts District through February 9th. There’s a variety of different shows and showcases for you to see. Prices vary based on the performance. (There’s free shows on the 29th and 30th!) There’s more information about the individual shows and the show schedule at the WKAD website.
For more information about this performance, click here.
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