Avant-garde director looks to fairy tale for new musical
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Theater director Meng Jinghui's latest musical draws inspiration from a European fairy tale.
It tells the story of a depressed prince whose only cure is to marry a princess from another kingdom. He goes there to propose, but is refused by the king.
Then a fairy tells him that the princess is actually one of three oranges in the king's possession. If the prince can somehow steal them, the fairy says, the princess will be his.
The young man succeeds, but becomes so hungry on the way back that he decides to take a bite of the oranges.
Just as he gets ready to sink his teeth in, out pop three princesses who tell him their love stories.
Meng calls his musical, Three Oranges' Love.
A big name in China's experimental theater scene, Meng is known for his avant-garde style. His representative works include Rhinoceros in Love, Two Dogs' View of Life, and I Love XXX.
His first musical, Murder in the Hanging Garden, that debuted last year, was a big success. Expressing his dissatisfaction with both homegrown musicals as well as Western productions brought in by pedestrian touring companies, Meng says his mission is to produce at least one musical every year.
For Three Oranges' Love, Meng put three different love stories on stage, and asked musicians Wei Wei and Guo Long to compose music for them.
"We started composing last year, and it was a bitter-sweet process," he says.
He used the same cast as the latest production of Rhinoceros in Love. All the actors and actresses had to learn how to sing, play various musical instruments, as well as dance. They call themselves "The Orange Band".
"I have tried to bring to the audience a musical without a band, but with excellent live music. The musical instruments we use are also our actors."
Meng has done away with his trademark stage settings and bizarre costumes and instead, cooperated with Trends Media Group, which owns 16 fashion magazines, including China's Cosmopolitan, Esquire, and Harper's Bazaar. Fashion editors from the media group have helped Meng pick the outfits for all the roles.
The first story, which is set in a city, features modern clothes to represent the life of white-collar workers, street musicians and busy-looking passers-by.
The second story takes the audience back to Chongqing in the 1930s, with oversized robes, hats, and overcoats in black, blue and gray.
The last story revolves around puppy love, and features long, white dresses, preppy student uniforms, and short pants.
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