A puppet show, backed by an amazing array of special effects, is enchanting audiences this festive season. Ravel - Bolero And The Child And The Enchantments will be staged tomorrow at 3 pm at the Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall. Yesterday's opening night was a rousing success. The performance by Theatre Sans Fil from Canada combines opera, dance, theatre, multimedia effects and the riveting music of Maurice Ravel. Ravel is a two-part ballet-cum-opera that features giant puppets. The first part is a visual interpretation of Ravel's Bolero. The second is a lyric fantasy, The Child And The Enchantments, by Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette that takes the audience into the richly imaginative world of a spoiled child. There are 30 puppets and oversized props, imaginative sets and spectacular special effects. Over the steady recurring rhythm of the bolero, an Andalusian dance, the first part unfolds through a repetition of two melodies. The troupe from Montreal presents breathtaking visual and aural compositions that offer a new interpretation of the classic Spanish dance. The Child And The Enchantments is a story about a naughty child. He does not care about his schoolwork and bullies small animals and insects. One day, he makes his mother angry, so she sends him to his room until suppertime. There, he smashes a teapot and cup, tears up his books and pulls the cat's tail. But when he tries to sit in an armchair, the furniture comes to life and it rejects him because of his mischievous behaviour. The child shivers with fear. The puppets are about two metres tall and the special effects have become a trademark of productions by Theatre Sans Fil. For reservations, call 2734 9009.
