Dragon Legend Exploration Theatre Cultural Centre Studio Theatre, June 26-29 Exploration Theatre's Dragon Legend is about ethnic Chinese searching for their roots, a quest that sprawls across two generations, and shows that when roots branch out they also get entangled. The play centres on Ah Gung, a boy of 10 who is found in the United States with no memories except a recurring dream of a flutist in a bamboo forest. He is rescued from two exploitative Chinese American employers by a caring Western family. He later marries a Hong Kong woman and they settle in Canada where their son is born. Ah Gung's search for his hometown in China leads him to the realisation that Canada, where his friends and family are, is his real home. Meanwhile his son, after some initial cross-cultural animosity, forges a friendship with a Hong Kong Chinese and a mainland Chinese during a holiday project in China. Ah Gung's brother-in-law, however, wants to emigrate to Australia. Although he stays in Hong Kong to look after his business, he sends his wife and son to Australia for naturalisation. But he, too, finally realises his roots are in Hong Kong. Written by Karley Ng, the plot and sub-plot complement each other through contrast and paradox. However, the message that your roots are where your home is, suffers from being too clearly spelt out. Ng's direction is crisp and neat, making full use of theatrical space. The actors are committed to their roles and have a good grasp of comic timing. Kenson Chan as the brother-in-law is especially successful in bringing to life an original and convincing portrait of a money-grabbing businessman with a heart. The textured platform surrounded by a railway track, with a bamboo forest at the back and the sides, worked effectively and magically with the lighting effects. The play sets out from the start to win the hearts of the audience and succeeds in doing so.