A “Trained” Actor | Michael Dufays is an engineer determined to clear a path for the coal-powered “Iron Dragon” in The Forbidden Phoenix.
Directed by Ron Jenkins. Book and lyrics by Marty Chan. Music and lyrics by Robert Walsh. Starring John Ullyatt,
Lori Nancy Kalamanski, Shannon Kook Chun, Richard
Lee. Shoctor Theatre, The Citadel. To Nov 9. Tickets
available through the Citadel box office (425-1820/citadeltheatre.com)
***1/2
It’s refreshing to watch a play with a large group of kids. They gasp loudly at the bad guy’s evil tricks and giggle openly at the good guy’s silly stunts. It’s also funny to watch every parent simultaneously shift in their seats to read aloud to their children whenever a sign happens to appear onstage.
If you let it, Marty Chan’s is an adventure that will put you back in touch with your inner child, as it’s definitely a treat for the young’uns. It had Shoctor Theatre abuzz with “ooh”s, “aah”s, and pint-sized righteous indignation as injustice befell our protagonist, Sun Wukong, aka The Monkey King (John Ullyatt). When Wukong tries to return to his son Laosan (Shannon Kook-Chun) with much-needed rice, he is stopped by soldiers to pay a toll for simply walking the road. Since he is unable to pay, the imposing Empress Dowager (Nadine Villasin), who is rolled on and offstage as she rests atop a mountain of pink silk and golden foil trim, banishes Wukong to the West.
With a promise to return for his son, Wukong passes through the great salty waterfall to the West. Unfortunately, trouble is waiting on the other side in the form of progress. Horn (Michael Dufays), who shakes the ground with every prance, is the engineer of Terminal City. He has one goal: blow apart Gold Mountain to harness the power of the Iron Dragon. The only obstacle is the beautiful Phoenix (Lori Nancy Kalamanski) who guards the Iron Dragon. Wukong agrees to assist Horn, hoping to make a home in Terminal City, only to realize that the Phoenix is the one who truly
deserves his help.
Even though children probably don’t know how to pronounce “allegory,” they’ll get that is just that. The play dresses up the story of the Bachelor Men — Chinese immigrants who helped build the Canadian railroad in the 1800s — in the lavish visual trappings and spectacular acrobatics of the Peking Opera. The Canadian government never let these men bring over their families, and the pain of their separation is deeply felt throughout the show.
Ullyatt is a pleasure to watch as the goofy Monkey King. He leaps and rolls around the stage, warming what is really a very sad tale. Kalamanski’s command of her blue silk “wings” as they twirl, loop, and fly in waves adds a delicate touch to the fight scenes. And the fusion of Chinese and Western culture is at its best when we finally meet the Iron Dragon — a steam engine that cavorts about the stage in a traditional Chinese dragon dance.
While it’s not edge-of-your-seat exciting and offers adults far more to chew on than the kids, is sure to charm and amuse the little ones — and that includes the little one in all of us.
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