Wuxia - A Bold Creation for the Stage
Publicised as the first wuxia (martial chivalry) stage play in Singapore, Legends of the Southern Arch marks The Theatre Practice’s 50th anniversary. The production brings together different generations of established theatre practitioners to create an imaginary pugilistic world. The story essentially focuses on the pursuit of a secret manual hidden under the Southern Arch.
It is a bold attempt to create such a large-scale action-based production which includes the use of wire-work acrobatics with main cast members who are not formally trained in martial arts. While the choreography of the fight scenes is well executed, the fight techniques become flat and predictable as the show progresses. Instead of placing huge emphasis on the fight sequences, the playwright (Liu Xiaoyi) and director (Kuo Jian Hong) could have tapped on the acting skills of the cast to push forward a more emotionally-driven plot.
Despite my misgivings, kudos should be given to the cast members for their commitment and effort in delivering the complicated fight moves and the poetic Mandarin. Liu Xiaoyi is especially agile and dynamic as the protagonist Shi Buqiong. He moves in nimble steps with a weightless quality throughout the piece, convincingly portraying one who has mastered “qing gong” (the skill of defying gravity). I especially enjoy his scenes with Li Xie who plays the role of female ‘avenger’ Wu Duya, also Buqiong’s aunt. Their scenes are executed with humour and great chemistry, all this in tandem with the sharp and lively exchanges of witty lines.
The set designed by Wong Chee Wai is both visually appealing and functional. The bamboo forest is a strong visual metaphor in the production, which presents the binary oppositions of fight and peace; destruction and growth. The forest is significant in the protagonist’s journey— it is where romance, fear, death, apprenticeship and epiphany take place.
In cinematic language, camera work and editing makes it easier to create engaging fight sequences with actors who are not experts in martial arts. On stage, the limitation of martial arts skills are exposed even with the use of skillful choreography and stage effects. The wired fight sequences come across as either comical or mannered. While the play presents a great potential in creating a fantasy world for the audience with its stunning costumes and aesthetic lighting and set designs, it has not adequately transported the audience to the realm of the make-believe.
Overall, it is a brave endeavor by The Theatre Practice to merge the frameworks of an essentially cinematic genre with theatre. The spirit of exploration and innovation makes it easy to overlook the flaws in the production.