*****************************************************
Hong Kong Dance Award 2009 winner Unlock Dancing Plaza joins prominent puppetry theatre group Ming Ri Institute for Arts Education in a shadow light dance theatre "A Deer of Nine Colours" fusing dance, shadow play and live music. This multi-media production will be staged from October 9 to 11 at the Tsuen Wan Town Hall Exhibition Gallery.
The Dunhuang cave paintings, created over one thousand years ago, offer an intriguing artistic record of life during the bustling heyday of the Silk Road when traders on camels frequented the route. One of the most inspiring tales is "A Deer of Nine Colours". The Buddhist story revolves around a magnificent multicoloured deer which risks its life to save a man from drowning. The ungrateful man then divulges the deer's location to the king, leading to the animal's capture. The moral, concerning human greed and the importance of respecting nature, still holds true today.
From this thought-provoking story, Unlock Dancing Plaza and Ming Ri Institute for Arts Education have created a striking multimedia production combining contemporary dance and shadow play. This modern interpretation of an old tale transports audiences on a magical journey blending past and present.
In this liberating show, dancers will interact with projected silhouettes against a backdrop of cave paintings, with dazzling visuals interweaving people and shadows, the real and the surreal.
The production is co-directed by Ong Yong-lock and Wong Tim-keung, with Malaysian artists including Lee Swee-keong as guest Butoh dancer, Ng Chor-guan as music composer, and Tan E-jan as singer and flutist. Renowned local artist Yuri Ng is the costume designer.
"A Deer of Nine Colours" is one of the programmes of the Silk Road Arts Festival. It will be performed from October 9 to 10 at 7.30pm; and on October 11 at 2.30pm and 5pm at Tsuen Wan Town Hall Exhibition Gallery.
Tickets priced at $160 (free seating) are available at URBTIX outlets. Half-price tickets are available for full-time students, senior citizens aged 60 or above, people with disabilities and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients. Discounts of up to 20% are available for full-price performing arts/film programmes of the festival.
Programme brochures are now available at URBTIX outlets or on the website www.silkroadfestival.gov.hk .
For programme enquiries, call 2370 1044. Telephone reservations can be made on 2734 9009 and credit card telephone bookings on 2111 5999. Internet bookings can be made at www.urbtix.hk .
Ends/Friday, September 18, 2009
Issued at HKT 16:49
NNNN
