Deviating from the original novel, Golden Lotus the Musical, composed by George Chiang, represents a more unambiguous love tragedy with a more acceptable heroine. While briefly presented, the heroine’s frivolity or sexual desire (which characterises the original novel’s version of her) is downplayed by turning her into a pathetic victim of beastly male appetites and corrupted society, probably in a way to underscore her loyal love to Wu Sung.
Although, it reduces the complexity of the original novel, this adaptation, which made its World Premier in Hong Kong this week, makes the story more accessible and preserves the arching transformation of Golden Lotus. Articulated in the universal language of music with straightforward lyrics, it does well in transforming a classic Chinese tale into one that is comprehensible to a larger audience. Among the many original pieces, “A World Away” sung by Harriet Chung qualifies as a good pop love song.
The story’s overall rendition has clear traces of some of the greatest Western musicals and literature. The solemn music background reminds you of Notre Dame de Paris, (though I think it would have worked better if the lyrics had rhymes or used more refined and varied vocabulary); the scene in which Wu Da’s ghost asks for revenge reminds you of Hamlet; it is also enjoyable to see a daring use of different modern techniques, like symbolism and parallel narrative, in the score.
Cast-wise, Harriet Chung brings a refreshing quality to Golden Lotus with her beautiful voice and graceful ballet moves. Billy Sy, who portrays Wu Da, did wonderful work getting being beaten up by Xi Men. His final struggle before death has a Chinese Opera-style beauty to it. The actor for District Intendant, Scott Watanabe, stands out for his deep, somber voice, impressive singing (and villainous laughter) that suit his character perfectly.
In terms of settings, the genius use of the multimedia screen of the Y-Theatre stage is worthy of praise. The large translucent curtain screen presents some changing visual images while slowly revealing the characters and setting behind it to officially begin the scene. Creating interesting layers, it also nicely frames the setting and characters behind it into a painting.
The Y-Theatre stage is unique in stretching out two long paths from the usual square stage. It was therefore used to announce some surprising entries of different characters and to play more than one scene at the same time. However, despite the creative team’s effort in minimising audience anxiety, there were constant scene changes and awkward pauses between them that disrupted the flow of the overall piece.
My main dissatisfaction is that this musical does not go beyond the superficial Chinese elements. The traditional Chinese costumes designed by Moe Mo are effective; there is some nice use of Chinese instruments implemented by George Gao and George Chiang in the music; but, beyond the surface, the production failed in my expectation of creating a deeper understanding of Chinese sensibilities. People looking for more subtle “Chineseness” might be disappointed. It would have been more successful a production if the Chinese elements were more harmoniously blended and used less for experiment’s sake than for bringing out the emotions in the story.
That said, with its many bold elements and fusions, this ambitious musical offers a pleasant range of styles and performances. Setting its World Premiere in Hong Kong, Golden Lotus the Musical is an encouraging attempt to cross cultural and language barriers. In trying to convey and reinterpret a classic Chinese tale to the modern English-speaking community, it is essentially successful.
Words: Lynn Gong
A version of this article was previously published on HKELD, Hong Kong’s number one blog for all things theatrical. They tell you what’s on, where it playing, and what’s good on their mission to bring artists and audiences together.
