Tales of a Chinese heroine

Feb 9 2011 Buckinghamshire Advertiser

Featuring a beautiful young heroine and lots of martial arts action, Mulan - coming to Aylesbury next week - is a great show for both boys and girls. LAWRENCE POOLE talks to the artistic director

WITH the arrival of the half-term holidays arises the age old question - what do we do with them now? Thankfully, help in keeping the nippers occupied during the first holiday of 2011 is at hand in Aylesbury[2026] well for the first part of it, anyway!

The town's Waterside Theatre is host to the box of tricks that is the Chinese State Circus for four days from February 17.

With the world-famous Shaolin Warriors performing their latest live action spectacular, Mulan, there should be plenty to occupy the attention of the little ones.

Based on the legend of one of China's greatest heroines, the tales have spread over the world in poems, songs, books and films, but this is their first incarnation in the all-action world of international circus.

Promising a 'breathtaking fusion of precision acrobatics, Shaolin martial arts, dazzling circus skills and colourful characters' from Peking Opera, combined with physical theatre and drama choreographed to an original music score, it should make for edge-of-the-seat entertainment for all the family.

Trained at the Shaolin Temple, the warriors are renowned for stretching the limits of human physical achievement in their dazzling shows.

The title role of Mulan is performed by martial arts expert Cao Jing, who is making her first appearance in Britain. She started learning martial arts when she was just six and has won three championship titles during her 15-year career.

Artistic director Phillip Gandey said: "This was one of the most challenging productions so far. I spent many weeks travelling throughout China in search of not only the best acrobats but also auditioning Peking Opera artistes, actors and Wushu performers for the acting roles." * The Chinese State Circus is at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre until Sunday, February 18. 7.30pm Thursday; 5pm, 8pm Friday; 2.30pm, 7.30pm Saturday; 2pm, 5pm Sunday. Tickets range from £11 to £23.

Call 0844 871 7607 or book online via www.ambassadortickets.com/aylesbury. 

FAME - I'm gonna live forever? Well, considering the stage show has been running pretty much somewhere ever since the big screen danceathon captured our hearts back in the 1980s, it seems this show really is going to live forever.

And now you can see it live. Fans of the show - about a bunch of wannabe Broadway stars - will doubtless be hunting out their multi-coloured leg warmers .

Set during the last years of New York City's High School for the Performing Arts, Fame is said to explore the issues that confront many young people today; prejudice, identity, self-worth, literacy, sexuality, substance abuse and perseverance.

With hits including I Want to Make Magic, Bring On Tomorrow and Dancin' On The Sidewalk, this production is by youth theatre group Rare Productions.

Set up by Andy Burton and David Marriott, the company sources cast members from across the region. Of the current production, director Andy says: "It's an enjoyable show with loads for the kids to do on stage and loads of great songs for the audience to sing along to.

"We've got a cast of 40 and they've been rehearsing for about 10 weeks. And, despite the economic downturn, the company is faring well.

"I formed the company eight years ago - although sometimes it feels like 108 - with my business partner David Marriott. We seem to be doing OK: despite the recession, kids still want to do musicals.

"Our kids wouldn't know if there was a recession on or not, to be honest, and with shows like The X Factor and the search for Maria, they're still keen to get into musical theatre."

So what's next for the group?

"Our next show at The Elgiva will be Camp Rock. It has never been performed in the UK and we were one of the first theatre groups to get a licence for it.

"It's a Disney musical with lots of singing, dancing and acting - it's really poppy." * Fame is at The Elgiva until Saturday, February 12. 7.30pm, matinee at 2.30pm Saturday. Tickets £10 and £12. Call 01494 582 900.

You can see Camp Rock in Bovingdon Village Hall on March 11 and at The Elgiva on March 13. ..