Arts Preview: the Legend of Mulan
By Maya Lin-Takahashi
What Pan treasures most are the virtues - bravery and filial piety - that she has learned from the story. The Hong Kong Dance Company senior dancer is determined to present them through an upcoming dance drama inspired by folklore, and reimagined by artistic director-choreographer Yang Yuntao and playwright Gerard Tsang Chu-chiu.
"It has been very physically demanding," says Pan of the rehearsal over the past two months. "I have to do what the male dancers do as well as show off some of the martial arts acts that I took up recently, which, strictly speaking, is not regarded as dance but is infused in the script to make me stand out from the crowd of warriors. I still haven't tried on the full costume yet; the heavy armour will make it a real challenge.
"What Hua embodies is the fact that women can be as tough as men, if not more so, and I'm fully embracing that spirit," she adds.
Yang's interpretation of the poem doesn't make it any easier for the actors. To better portray the harsh conditions of war and the hardship of soldiers, for instance, Yang and Tsang had the idea of fitting an inclined platform onstage for some scenes.
"It's something we haven't done before - we dancers are always afraid of slippery or uneven grounds so it'll be interesting to see what we can achieve on a stage that is intentionally made challenging ," says Yang, who runs up and down the sloped stage to demonstrate moves to his dancers.
"However, the vigorous war scenes in the first half are all made to contrast with the second half, where Hua reunites with her family [after turning down the emperor's offer of a position at court]," the artistic director says.
"What I'm really trying to present is Hua's tender love for her father, which is what gave her the courage to go onto the battlefield in the first place. The second half is more about her sentiment and leaves more room for imagination."
Cultural Centre Grand Theatre, Tsim Sha Tsui, November 23, 7.45pm and November 23 and 24, 3pm, HK$180-HK$300 Urbtix; Yuen Long Theatre Auditorium, 9 Yuen Long Tai Yuk Road, New Territories, November 29, 7.45pm and November 30, 3pm, HK$100-HK$180 Urbtix. Inquiries: 3103 1806
This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Charmed and dangerous
Maya is a hardware enthusiast who tests and reviews smart home devices, smartphones, wearables, and audio gear. She focuses on practical consumer value and build quality.
