Embark on an extraordinary adventure with “The Monkey King”, a legendary opera from the East. This large-scale production, co-produced by Trend Education Foundation and Taiwan College of Performing Arts, brings together Chinese opera aesthetics, superb kung fu and modern theater design.
Based on the beginning chapters of “Journey to the West”, the show presents you the wild and naughty superhero Sun Wukun. He is powerful with magic charms. He is invincible with Ruyi Jingu Bang and somersault cloud. He entitles himself as Lord Monkey, Heaven’s-Equal and confronts with the hundred thousand of holy solders for his up roaring the heavenly court. Don't miss this sensational production that brings to life the magic and legend of Sun Wukong in a way you've never seen before!
This production has achieved wide success in Taipei, Kaohsiung, Taichung from 2021 to 2023. The Singapore tour is host and presented by Trend Micro Singapore.
Sun Wukong, who had exceptional martial arts skills, sneaked into the East Sea Dragon Palace to borrow treasures from the Dragon Lord. The Dragon Lord had several precious weapons brought out for him, but Sun Wukong found them all unsatisfactory. So, the Dragon Lord led him to see the Ocean-stabilizing Holy Column of the Eastern Seas and with a spell, Sun Wukong transformed it into a flexible and exquisite cudgel called Ruyi Jingu Bang. Then he asked for armor from the Dragon Lord and only left on his Somersault Cloud after getting everything he wanted.
Sun Wukong and his monkey subjects live in the Water Curtain Cave on Hua-guo Mountain. Suddenly, Li Chang-geng, the Golden Star of the Heavenly Courts, an envoy of the Jade Emperor, arrives with an imperial decree. It turns out that the Jade Emperor wants to subdue Sun Wukong and has appointed him as the official caretaker of horses in heaven under Equine Transportation Officer's command. Delighted, Sun Wukong rides his Somersault Cloud to heaven.
Sun Wukong discovers that Equine Transportation Officer is only a low-ranking official in the Heavenly Court and becomes very unhappy. On this day, when The Lord of Horses comes to inspect with great pomp and show of force, Sun Wukong angrily fights him and resigns from his position.
After returning to Hua-guo Mountain, Sun Wukong proclaimed himself as Lord Monkey, Heaven’s-Equal. On this day, he was playing with his monkey minions when Li Chang-geng, the Golden Star of the Heavenly Courts, an envoy of the Jade Emperor, came to visit once again. He pretended that the Jade Emperor had recognized Sun Wukong's title and invited him back to heaven for Queen Mother's birthday banquet.
It was the Queen Mother of the West's birthday, and a Peach Banquet was being held in heaven. Sun Wukong encountered some Lady Deities preparing for the banquet and upon questioning them, he realized that he had been tricked by Li Chang-geng once again. Furious at his reputation being tarnished, he sneaked into the party in Queen’s Jade Pool and ate all of the peaches and drank all of the wine. He then went to the Venerable Elder Lord's room and consumed all of his pills for immortality.
Sun Wukong, who caused a great disturbance in the Heavenly Palace, was captured by the heavenly soldiers and locked in the Bagua Cauldron used for brewing the Elixir by the Venerable Elder Lord. He was to be refined by fire for forty-nine days. However, Sun Wukong not only did not turn into ashes but also refined himself into possessing "fiery eyes and golden pupils," which allowed him to see through all sorts of demons and monsters with just one glance. With a leap, he jumped out of the Bagua Cauldron and returned to Hua-guo Mountain laughing heartily.
Sun Wukong's actions have angered the heavens, and the Jade Emperor orders his capture. The heavenly Lord Li Jing summons all the gods, including Nezha, Lord Yang Jian, God of Giant Spirit, Blue Dragon, White Tiger, Red Phoenix, Lunar Apogee, Nine Luminaries, Celestial Celebration, Rahu and others to gather at Hua-guo Mountain to prepare for Sun Wukong's arrest.
The role of Sun Wu Kong in “The Monkey King” is played by three martial arts actors - CHU Lu-Hao, HSU Ting-Fang, and CHIN Lang. The roles of the monkey minions, Heavenly Soldiers and Generals are performed by students and actors from the Department of Jing Ju (Peking Opera) and Jing Ju Troup of National Taiwan College of Performing Arts.
Producer / Chairman of Trend Foundation
Sun Wukong is immortal. He leaped out of the pages of “Journey to the West” and made his way into movies, TV series, video games. Throughout the world, people continue to explore new realms of Sun Wukong. The Chinese opera bring Sun Wukong comes to life, every jump, roll, horseback battle are results from over decade of rigorous training. Each actor possesses agile and formidable martial arts prowess, all the while maintaining a relaxed and natural facial expression, achieved through constant refinement to embody the character of Wukong, part monkey, part deity.
In the show “The Monkey King” Wukong has not yet embarked the journey to west. Hs is mischievous, arrogant, fearlessly true to himself. All the audience would feel their heart racing along with the Wukong on the stage.
Designated as intangible cultural heritage by UN, Peking opera has grown and flourished fearlessly in Taiwan. As the producer of “the Monkey King” I wish this show starts from Taiwan and embark its way to the world, allowing audiences from diverse cultures and backgrounds to experience the captivating charm of Oriental theater aesthetics.
This drama follows the spirit of Eastern aesthetics in Peking Opera, with stage designs that highlights the performance of actors. It features modern stage settings, lighting and visual effects to immerse audiences into a magical yet realistic mythological story.
2024/11/16 - 11/17
