STOKE-ON-TRENT, UK—Shen Yun Performing Arts entranced the audience at the Regent Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, on Jan. 28. Shaun Lyons, a logistic manager, attended and enjoyed the whole production with his wife, Lisa, a finance manager.
“The dancing’s fantastic,” Mr. Lyons said. “I think the scenery and the background, and how it blends in with the storyline is brilliant,” he said. “And the music’s great as well.”
Shen Yun performances feature a unique 3D backdrop that interacts with the performers on stage. “The interaction with the scenery at the back is just, just so clever and brilliant. Love it,” Mr. Lyons said.
Mr. Lyons recalled with delight stories from his childhood that he now saw on stage, especially one taken from the Chinese classic, “
Journey to the West,” which features the character Pigsy.
“I could also relate to one of the stories. Many years ago, when I was a child, there was a program called ‘Monkey,’ and I can still remember it all, and that [dance] brought back those memories,” he said.
The Lyons were not aware at first that the beautiful accompaniment to the dances comes from a
live orchestra featuring both Eastern and Western instruments, something different from a Western orchestra.
Mr. Lyons said it was “brilliant. I didn’t really realize that at all. I think it’s very, very soothing.” He said the orchestra doesn’t have “big crescendos, and then there’s low music. [Shen Yun orchestra] is all on a certain level. It’s Chinese music, which is not a bad thing. It’s a good thing.”
“The music’s beautiful. Yeah, it’s really, really beautiful,” said Mrs. Lyons.
Mrs. Lyons especially liked how the music and tempo worked with the
Tibetan dance. “I thought the Tibetan music was particularly good. That really did have it—the slower bits, the faster bits, and it really married well with the dancing on stage,” she said.
Mr. Lyons said the water sleeves dance was “fantastic.” He enjoyed the movement of the dancers as well as their beautiful costumes.
“The way the sleeves came up and how they moved. I watched how they gathered them in. It was just so clever,” he said.
Shen Yun’s
mission is to revive traditional Chinese culture before communism. The ancient dances, stories, and values can relate to the modern world. Unfortunately, Shen Yun is banned in China.
Mr. Lyons found that disconcerting. “I was surprised that you don’t. You wouldn’t see this in China. I just don’t get that,” he said. “I assume the
performers were from China.”
Mrs. Lyons heard about the performance on social media.
“Obviously, you watch [the ads on social media] and you think, ‘Oh, I’ve got to go and see this live.’ I did a search on where it was, and thankfully, it was reasonably local,” said Mr. Lyons.
Reporting by Jenna and Yvonne Marcotte.
