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Kevin Kwong

The Legend of the White Snake

Actors' Family

Lyric Theatre, Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts

Reviewed: February 4

This  musical, commissioned by the Hong Kong Arts Festival,  has several immediate appeals:  it's staged by Actors' Family,  which is known for this  theatrical genre;   a Chinese  fable in a contemporary context creates an interesting premise; and   it stars four popular stage actors   (Alice Lau Nga-lai,  Bonnie Lam Siu-po,  Chan  Chu-hei and  Gary Tam).

The Legend of the White Snake picks up from where the old tale left off. Pak So-ching (the white snake spirit played  by Lau) is awakened from an 800-year hibernation and imprisonment  and sets out  in search of her husband's reincarnated spirit, Hui Sin.

She has 100 years to find him, and much of the musical focuses on the final moment of the journey.

The two-act production lives up to  half of its expectations. The music, composed by  Leon Ko, and the singing from the entire cast is superb. From the  start, the gloomy music sets the tone  for this doomed love affair,   but there are lighter scenes peppered throughout the 150 minutes. Ko's score is a mixed bag of big  Broadway-style musical numbers, traditional Chinese music, pop and a couple of lyrical duets.

The four leads deliver  their numbers with aplomb,  and  Lam and Tam  shine,   making  the most of Chris Shum's, at times playful, lyrics.

Yu Pik-yim's choreography  is also notable and the Hong Kong Dance Company's  Mi  Tao  makes a welcome guest appearance.

The only problem is the script.  Perhaps, playwright and director  Victor Pang Chun- nam was   overwhelmed by the  numerous possibilities of where this story could go - and he got lost in them.

Several crucial and dramatic moments were glossed over: the way Pak, after an 800-year sleep, simply springs to life with few  regrets or sadness; the split-second chance encounter that leads  to the discovery of Richard (Tam), who's believed to be the reincarnation of Hui Sin; and the revelation of the identity of the monk Fa Shan (Chan).

Pang spends too long on  Siu-ching's  nightmare and  other less significant episodes that could have helped better develop the story.



The Legend of the White Snake