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Kevin Kwong

Book of Ghosts
Zuni Icosahedron
Drama Theatre, HK Academy  for Performing Arts
Reviewed: Feb 14
This co-production between Zuni Icosahedron  and the Hong Kong Arts Festival delves into something  considered inauspicious by most Asian cultures  -  ghosts.
But Book of Ghosts,  created by the troupe's artistic director Danny Yung,  is not a horror show. Rather, it is an intellectual examination  of how the  dead  are perceived, interpreted and dealt with by artists from different cultures.
Yung staged a production based on a Yuan dynasty book by the same name in 1996. This version  is inspired more by recent events such as last year's earthquake in Sichuan. The concept of ghosts - and death - is  explored by four artists: Patravadi Mejudhon,  Li Boachun,  Ke Jun  and Sardono  Kusumo  from Bangkok, Taipei, Nanjing and Jakarta respectively.
The most successful  of these is Ke's piece that 'revives' the spirit of Shang Xiaoling,  a Ming  dynasty actress who died on stage while performing the death scene of  Du Liniang, the lead character in the kunqu classic Peony Pavilion.  His portrayal of the women was lyrically delivered through movement  and  the music from the renowned scene Interrupted Dream.  Ke sees death as a form of liberation rather than something  tragic. Li also uses operatic references to illustrate how ghosts are interpreted in Chinese traditions but with darker tones.
Pieces by Mejudhon (below) and Kusumo, which make good use of the large mirror at the back of the stage, appear starker in comparison, expressing people's  fears of  disturbed  spirits through classical dance.
This piece of experimental theatre is  accessible but, other than Ke, the depth of each artist's research into their work is not immediately apparent.



Book of Ghosts