05:42:49 am 
Soul of Shaolin - Martial Arts Spectacle Tells Charming Tale
Categories: UncategorizedThere's something exceedingly charming about large portions of Soul of Shaolin, the Chinese kung fu spectacular that opened on Broadway last night at the Marriott Marquis Theatre.
It may seem odd to consider a show that features nearly three dozen men expertly trained martial arts professionals from Shaolin Temple "charming," but consider the story that's told in "Soul." The show's a fairy tale of sorts about a woman (Wang Yazhi) in ancient China who is separated from her baby son during a time of war. Na Luo (Zhang Zhigang), a monk at the temple, finds the infant, Hui Guang, who's raised at the temple and learns to be an accomplished master of Shaolin Kung Fu himself. Eventually, mother and son are reunited, but only after each has taken a journey filled with hardship.
Underscored with a wildly eclectic recorded soundtrack, the story is told with no dialogue, and there's only scant narration (heard in what sounds to be a taped voiceover). Audiences will have no problem, however, following the tale, which unfolds through a series of sequences featuring intricate Kung Fu choreography and acrobatics (from Liu Tongbiao, who's also directed). The most dazzling work in "Soul" actually comes during the production's opening moments when the artists whirl and leaps across and around the stage as the warriors who are attacking the province near the temple. Many of the men wield weaponry – spears and scimitars with mylar blades that whir ominously, whips that produce short popping bursts when used, sounding like firecrackers. These aural effects (and Song Tianjiao's lighting design that shifts in fragmented staccato bursts) help make the first minutes of "Soul" simply heart-pounding.
After this, "Soul" settles into a sort of elaborate story theater mode (a sense enhanced by the backdrops and set pieces from Xie Tongmiao that look like ancient Chinese illustrations). Theatergoers see Hui Guang as a preteen (an enormously appealing and exceptionally talented Wang Sen), an adolescent (Dong Yingbo) and young man (a commanding Yu Fei). At times the show beguiles (particularly when a trio of teenage monks – really scallywags – is at play). At others, it astounds by virtue of the feats that the performers accomplish. Fei, when rescuing a woman in distress – whom he doesn't know is his mother – shatters two swords on his head. Another monk manages to send a threaded needle through a sheet of glass, puncturing a balloon. Perhaps the most amazing acrobatic feat, accomplished by young Sen and several of the adults are back flips that are accomplished not with their hands, but rather with their heads.
The art of Shaolin Kung Fu has been seen in any number of films, on television and recently at the opening of the Beijing Summer Olympics, and it's even more impressive to see it performed live than it is on screen. And when these artists' (or more appropriately athletes'?) routines are used to tell this slight story of love and overcoming obstacles, well, it is, in a word, charming.
---- Andy Propst
Soul of Shaolin continues through January 31 at the Marriott Marquis Theatre (1535 Broadway). Tickets are $50-$95. Performance schedule varies for complete information and ticketing visit: www.ticketmaster.com or www.SoulofShaolin.com. Tickets can also be purchased by calling 212-307-4100.
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