Shanghai Lady Killer

Date: 17.09.09

I had the privilege of seeing an early showing of the theatre production, Shanghai Lady Killer, and for discretion's sake, I'm not going to divulge too much on the show. I may not be an expert of theatre, but I respect the creatives behind it, each one giving life to such a diversified and unique twist into physical theatre.

Though in its early stages of production, Shanghai Lady Killer looks to be a promising theatrical experience. It's a conglomerate, if you will, of Wuxia martial arts and Film Noir elements. The mix of both of these genres give it a different flavour, yet they both work so well in the context of the show. It's that mix of East and West that bring out so much life from it.

I was a part of a small audience for the showcase, which really left me to stretch my neck to see what was happening on the ground floor. But the performance of the actors, martial artists, and dancers brought out the essence of the show. It was intense. There were times when I was in awe of the performance, since I've grown up watching Wuxia films. There were flying acts and acrobatics that almost mimicked the style of such films, and that alone blew me away. The number of ways that the scenes unfolded had me guessing on what would happen next.

The choreography, both dance and fight scenes together equals one word: breathtaking. The energy of the performers radiated from the show. If you're a Cirque Du Soliel fan, you'll appreciate the choreography that appears in this production. If you're a Wuxia fan, you'll appreciate the action sequences and the raw intensity of the show. It all came down to how well each move was executed, whether it was an all-out fight scene, a dance routine, or a simple yet strong kata. Put into a theatrical context, it differed so much from a Wuxia film. You, as a spectator, decided at what point in time you want to frame the story. It's not just a show, it's an experience.

On that note, it was interesting to see how receptive the audience were as well. A woman in the row before me jumped at a few scenes, of which I found the action quite typical. It goes to show how much of an impact Shanghai Lady Killer can potentially be, and that is a very good sign.

It's really hard to not say good things about this show. We were only given a taste of what's to come. Keep a lookout for it.