[Drama] MONKEY: JOURNEY TO THE WEST| 西游记

Posted: May 10, 2008 | Author: idoobi | Filed under: Drama | Tags: China, Gorillaz, Jamie Hewlett, Manchester International Festival, Monkey: Journey to the West, Sun Wukong, Traditional Chinese character | Leave a comment »

The ancient Chinese legend Journey to the West (西游记), or more well-known as Money in the western countries is now in opera ! Combining both versions of the English translation, it’s titled Monkey: Journey to the West. It’s a monumental project because of the fictional nature of the story, which involves more than 100 characters with supernatural capabilities, and exotic scenes from the Mountain of the Flower where the Monkey was through to the Paradise where Tripitak and his disciples were finally given the Holy Buddhist Scriptures, called Sutras.

So here is how the drama came about:

MONKEY: JOURNEY TO THE WEST was first staged June 28, 2007 in the UK at the inaugural Manchester International Festival, whose director Alex Poots suggested that world-renowned theatre, opera and film director Shi-Zheng enlist GORILLAZ co-creators Albarn and Hewlett to provide unique, modern musical and visual interpretations of the themes and characters of this most beloved work of Chinese folklore.

The result is a new opera for the 21st century based on an ancient Chinese legend reworked as a dazzling spectacle involving nearly 40 Chinese circus acrobats, martial artists and singers from China with an orchestra of Western and traditional Chinese instruments. Developed in Beijing, Paris, Berlin and London the show has had sell-out runs in Manchester and Paris.

The animation by Gorillaz’s Jamie Hewlett is definitely refreshing. It captures the essence of the characters and gives them an exotic look. Take a look at the TV version of the story made in 1982 in China: