2016
National Tour
The
Playhouse, Canberra Theatre Centre, May 31st.
Reviewed by
Bill Stephens
Perhaps it
was the title of the show, which didn’t really hint at the astonishing
spectacle involved, but The Imperial Bells of China attracted a disappointingly
small audience to the first of its two Canberra performances.
The 2,400
year old Imperial bells themselves were unearthed in Hubei, China in 1978.
Their discovery provided the inspiration for the Hubei Opera Theatre to create
a spectacular production to showcase the history of the Seven Kingdoms of the
Chu State which existed in China between 403 and 221 BC. This production has
been touring the world since 1983, but this is the first time it has visited
Australia.
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| Musician playing The Imperial Bells of China |
The curtain
opens to reveal a stage hung in lavish crimson, pink and gold hangings. Replicas
of the Imperial bells, painstakingly reproduced using the same materials as the
originals to insure the exact same sounds, dominate the scene. Other wind and
string instruments found with the bells are played by musicians, arranged in
rows, wearing sumptuous costumes and headdresses. Together, they produce an
exquisite orchestral sound.
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| Warriors in the opening scene of "The Imperial Bells of China" |
Surrounding
them, dozens of elaborately costumed warriors equipped with gold-tipped lances,
not only add to the spectacle, but also contribute a splendid massed drum
exhibition heralding the arrival of teams
of exquisitely costumed singers and dancers, who perform dances representing the
various kingdoms.
Scene after
scene flows by, each more exquisite and spectacular than its predecessor. Some
are inspired by ancient poems, others by daily routine. One particularly memorable
item, “Collecting of Mulberry Leaves, Cultivation of the Land” featured a
troupe of young women wearing flowing green and white costumes who performed a
graceful dance with strikingly exaggerated hip and back movements. Immediately
following, another troupe of male and female dancers, clad in red and mulberry
coloured costumes, depict cheerful farmers going about the business of
cultivating their land.
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| Dancers perform "Collecting of Mulberry Leaves " |
“Concert of the Eight Tones” highlighted the collection
of ancient instruments made from eight different elements, metal, stone, silk,
bamboo, gourd, earth, hide and wood. In a series of short virtuoso solos,
instruments resembling wooden flutes, pan pipes, stone chimes and a 50 string
zither impressed as an elegantly staged divertissement.
 |
| Dancers performing "Great Royal Banquet Ceremony" |
The finale,
entitled “Great Royal Banquet Ceremony” featured the entire 60 or so members of
the company in a riot of cleverly choreographed colour and movement in which
dancers, both male and female, wore costumes with extraordinary long silk
sleeves which they energetically fling into the air to create spectacular
patterns.
A voice-
over narration, and English and Chinese surtitles displayed on television sets
positioned on each side of the stage, kept audience members informed about the
history and significance of what was being performed on stage, adding to the
enjoyment of the presentation.
Impressively
staged with superbly trained singers, dancers and musicians, “The Imperial
Bells of China” is one of the most spectacular Chinese cultural presentations to
visit Australia.
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| Dancers performing "Mountain Hunt" |
This review also appears in Australian Arts Review. www.artsreview.com.au