FOR THE FIRST TIME in Hong Kong, audiences will have a chance to see actors fly on stage, thanks to some sophisticated Broadway techniques.
The Dark Tales, the latest drama from the Spring Time Group - producer of the hits A Date With Spring in 1995 and last year's Sentimental Journey - will feature the airborne phenomena. 'This is not a gimmick,' says director Lee Ming-sum. 'The story calls for such special effects.'
The Dark Tales is adapted from the Chinese classic Strange Stories, written during the Ming dynasty. It contains mysterious yet touching short stories about the emotional relationships between human beings and spirits.
This version, adapted for the theatre, stars veteran actor Cheng Siu-chau, and winner of the Golden Horse best actress award Rachel Lee Lai-chun. Set in the 16th century, it tells the story of a scholar (Cheng) who shuns the corrupt human world, and his romance with one of his students, who is also a fox spirit (Lee).
'Ghosts and fox spirits with magic power need to fly,' Lee says. He has checked out London and New York musicals to pick up some tips. 'If we spend a lot on this project and the result is nothing special, it's not worth doing,' he says. But he seems sure that the result will justify the cost.
The Spring Time Group is spending $30 million on the production, with $2 million allocated to hire the services of Flying By Foy, technicians of simulated flying based in Las Vegas.
