Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Tomorrow-Sat, 7.45pm; May 28, 3pm
The Hong Kong Dance Company opens its 2006/07 season with a stage adaptation of Red Poppies, an award-winning novel by Tibetan writer Alai. The work was made into a popular television drama series three years ago and has since been dubbed 'Forrest Gump on the Tibetan Plateau' because of its simple and innocent protagonist.
Choreographed by Liu Lingli and Guan Daxin, this piece features traditional Tibetan dance, music and songs and highlights the physical prowess of the company's dancers.
The drama tells of the rise and fall of a fictional Tibetan chieftain (Huang Lei, left with Xie Yin) who earns his wealth and power from growing poppies and selling opium. The story also revolves around his two sons (Liu Yinghong and Chen Jun), one of whom will inherit his business.
According to Hong Kong Dance Company artistic adviser Sin Yuen, the Tibetan dance drama is an artistic and spiritual exploration of the ethnic group's history and culture. 'The work provides the audience with enjoyment on the artistic level as well as inspires them to reflect on the causes and effects of the good and evil sides of human nature, and the vicissitudes of life.'