Review - Soul of Shaolin: Everybody Was... Oh, You Know

In my 30+ years of Broadway theatergoing there have been a few special moments that I know will stick in my memory forever. Michael Jeter dancing his giddy Charleston in Grand Hotel, is one example. Jerry Orbach, in 42nd Street, proclaiming "musical comedy" as, "the most glorious words in the English language," is another. I witnessed the newest addition to my little list at Wednesday night's performance of Soul of Shaolin, when Yu Fei stood on the Marquis Theatre stage, lifted his left leg straight up in the air with his foot to the ceiling, then leaned over and hit the floor in a perfect split, groin first. He did it again at curtain call.

I'll pause here briefly to allow my male readers a moment to wince.

The Chinese martial arts spectacle Soul of Shaolin is obviously not your typical Broadway offering and perhaps should be reviewed more as a cultural enlightenment than a theatre entertainment. The cast is made up of thirty members of the Shaolin Temple Wushu Martial Artists, who spend the evening demonstrating their expertise in Shaolin Kung Fu, a collection of martial arts developed by the monks of the Shaolin Temple. Students of this art are guided in the ways of inaction (meditation) and action (physical health) to achieve peace in the body and spirit.

For playgoers more interested in the action, there's plenty of it and it's quite exciting. Director/choreographer Liu Tongbiao intricately stages dozens of performers in lively and very dangerous looking routines. Flying fists and feet are expected, of course, but once the whips and swords and nunchukus come out, all manipulated at speeds that make the air loudly whistle, Soul of Shaolin truly dazzles. Muscular arms and intensely concentrating heads manage to break wooden poles and metal blades, but the most unusual skill on display features a talented fellow who uses his stomach muscles to suck enough air out of a bowl that it becomes stuck to his belly in a seal so tight it doesn't even break while he's dangling by it in mid-air.

Oh, yes there's a plot. A baby boy named Hui Guang is separated from his mother (Wang Yazhi and Li Lin alternate playing the role) when she is attacked by war lords. She puts up quite a fight but, being outnumbered, is forced to flee. The baby is discovered by monks and is taken to the Shaolin Temple where he's eventually instructed in the skills of Kung Fu by a one-armed master (Zhang Zhigang) and an ancient and austere abbot (Bai Guojun). Playing the orphan as a young boy, Wang Sen shows remarkable flexibility as he contorts his body into impossible looking shapes. He's eventually succeeded by Dong Yingbo, who plays him as a teenager, and Yu Fei, who takes over when he grows into a young man. When his true parentage is discovered, Hui Guang wishes to leave the temple and go with his mother but according to the ancient rules the only way he may leave is to prove his masterly of Kung Fu by defeating all of the monks of the temple at the same time. I won't spoil the end but let's just say a healthy suspension of disbelief is required to truly enjoy the sixteen against one grudge match.

There is no dialogue in the piece. The story is told through sparse voiceover narration with the actors miming emotions; sometimes leaning on the melodramatic side with their facial expressions. Zhou Chenglong's recorded music has a relaxing, traditional feel as do set designer Xie Tongmiao's tapestry-style backdrops and Huang Gengying's costumes.

While Soul of Shaolin may seem dramatically weak by New York playgoing standards, the story at least succeeds in showcasing a beautiful bounty of martial arts performances which focus on grace and precision rather than competition and violence. The sincere pride the performers show in sharing their history throughout the evening is always evident, making Soul of Shaolin a very enjoyable cultural lesson.

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