CBBC are casting an exciting kung-fu action fantasy television series and are looking for young British-born Chinese to play the lead roles in the new Children’s Drama – BO AND THE SPIRIT WORLD:

Bo – Female, aged 11-16 Confident, sporty and a born leader

Timothy – Male, aged 9-12 Cheeky, Quick-witted and energetic

Bo and Timothy are on a school trip when they are suddenly transported to a magical ’spirit world’. Here they become superpowered spirit warriors, on a quest to save the world. It’s good versus evil in an epic struggle inspired by Chinese mythology and folklore.

This is a fantastic opportunity to explore what it means to be British Chinese today and to create a role model for your community. Above all, it is a chance of a lifetime for two young people to have an amazing experience at the heart of a major new BBC Children’s Drama.

If you are interested and would like more information email us at boandtimothy@bbc.co.uk or visit our website at www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc live from 1st January ‘09.

For parental enquiries, please call David Tse (casting advisor) on 07931 764 840 (10-6pm Weekdays)

Technorati Tags: BO AND THE SPIRIT WORLD, CBBC

Yellow Earth Theatre is a London based British East Asian touring theatre company, revenue funded by Arts Council England. I built their first website more than 8 years ago, and now, I’ve just redesigned and rebuilt their new one!

It’s now fully dynamic with a massive Archive section that contains photographs, videos and the synopsis of their past productions.

I’m quite proud of the site, so if you’re interested in theatre, particularly in relation to East-Asia, then please do click over and check it out!

YellowEarth.org

Technorati Tags: arts, British Chinese, entertainment, theatre, United Kingdom, Yellow Earth Theatre

A TV Producer/Director friend of mine, Jules Watkins has just wrapped up on Miss Naked Beauty for Channel 4/Maverick TV. The show is presented by Top British Chinese Stylist Gok Wan (How to Look Good Naked) along with the lovely Myleene Klass.

The series has already started unfortunately, but there are still a few more episodes left! Jule’s episode is number 3 and is broadcast on November 4th at 8pm.

As described by the Channel 4 microsite “Miss Naked Beauty” is the definitive hunt for a woman who embodies the confidence, sex appeal, spirit, brains and true natural beauty of a modern-day Eve. The show sets out to challenge conventional notions of what is “beautiful” by turning the traditional beauty contest on its head.

Forget the fakes and size zeros, the winner of this beauty contest will not only have to possess natural beauty, but also have the brains and balls to tackle some of the uglier sides of the industry.

The series winner not only clinches a coveted title: she has a job to do. She’ll write a regular magazine column to expose the sinister side of beauty and promote the natural beauty message. She’ll also become the face of a revolutionary new model agency with a fresh twist on the typical, stick-thin catwalk clothes horse. Plus, she’ll report back to Gok Wan in the next series of How to Look Good Naked with her discoveries during her year on the job.”

Read more about Miss Naked Beauty on Jules.tv and drop Jules a note!

Technorati Tags: British Chinese, fashion, Gok Wan, Jules Watkins, Myleene Klass

So did anyone miss the first episode of Ching’s new series on BBC2 tonight? You can still catch it in the next few days on the BBC website’s iPlayer and the rest of the series is to be shown on the next five Mondays.

Mouth-watering dishes that you will know and love will be featured in the show, from Takeaway favourites to Spicy Sichuan, Fast food/Street Food, Seafood, Noodles/Dumplings and Dimsum as well as celebratory food for Family and Friends.

Each show has a different theme and sees Ching cooking for the British public and for British producers. Some dishes are traditional favourites that have been given a “Ching” twist and some recipes handed down to her by her grandmother.

“Chinese Food Made Easy” will be aired on Monday nights at 8.30pm on BBC2 for 6 weeks, the first episode will be broadcast on Monday 7th July 2008.

BBC iPlayer – search for “Ching”

Ching’s Official website

If you like Chinese food, you’ll LOVE:

The Secrets of Chinese Cooking and Selected Recipes

500+ Healthy Chinese Recipes Cookbook

Quick Easy Chinese Vegetarian Cooking

Technorati Tags: BBC2, British Chinese, Chinese Food Made Easy, Ching-He Huang, cuisine

The Chinese Arts Centre in Manchester, UK, presents interdisciplinary artist Suki Chan’s film installation project, Interval, from the 10th October to 22nd December 2008 (with a preview on Thursday 9th October 2008).

Interval is a film installation exploring our transient relationships with buildings and the nature of our inhabitation of space and time. With particular reference to two contrasting types of architecture from British and Chinese history and culture, the work uses light, moving image, electronics and sound with mixed media installation to create a sensual experience inviting the viewer to meditate on their relationship to their environment.

Suki Chan was born in Hong Kong and currently lives and works in London. She graduated with BA (Hons) from Goldsmiths College, London in 1999 and is currently completing an MA in Fine Art at Chelsea School of Art, London.

Chan has participated in solo and group shows, artist residencies and research projects in the UK and internationally, including Spain (El Tanque), Germany, America, Singapore and China (Museum of Contemporary Art). Recent shows include Sequence and Repetition, bridgeartfair and Jerwood Space, London. Her recent neon installation (Story of Rice 3) is collected by New Walk Museum.

The Chinese Arts Centre website

See below for more information about Interval…

Technorati Tags: artist, British Chinese, Chinese Arts Centre, film installation, Interval, Manchester, Suki Chan

Interval investigates the relationship between light, architecture and memory, juxtaposing a Victorian cast iron pier in Northwest England and a rammed earth Hakka roundhouse in Southwest China. The film investigates traces of human presence within the buildings as well as social and cultural shifts within the respective societies.

An icon of industrialization, cast iron piers are reminiscent of the Victorian era and its grand vision for the advancement of humanity through science and technology. Boldly stretching out over the sea towards the horizon, the structure brings us closer towards the elements of nature as well as being a site of cultural activity. Today, many are falling into disrepair and a new community has taken refuge. Thousands of starlings returning to roost mark their arrival at the end of each day with mesmerizing swarming formations in the sky

Rammed-earth roundhouses are buildings designed to protect its inhabitants from the elements of nature and are traditional Hakka dwellings. The Hakka are an ethnic subgroup from China with a long history of migration, and are known as the Jews of China. The form of this traditional dwelling articulates a collective spirit and an aspiration for security of the community.

Interval is inspired by the seasonal migration of birds, recalling the artist’s own childhood memory. Chan migrated to the UK from Hong Kong with her family in the age of six. After the move she became a guest to her birthplace. The film explores her connection with her birthplace, which is distanced from both in time and geographically, as well as her relationship with her current home, Britain.

Previously posted Ching-He Huang has just release her second book called Chinese Food Made Easy. Ching is one of the brightest stars in modern Chinese cooking in the UK.

Each week in her new BBC2 series she re-invents the nation’s favourite Chinese dishes, modernising them with fresh, easy to buy ingredients, and offering simple practical tips and techniques. These are brought together in this beautiful book to accompany the series.

Drawing on the experiences of top chefs, her family and friends, growers and producers and celebrity enthusiasts Ching sets out to discover the best Chinese cooking in the UK today, introducing easy-to-make Chinese food to sometimes resistant Brits, and painting a picture of modern Anglo-Chinese life in the UK as she goes.

Using ingredients from high-street supermarkets and some imaginative suggestions for alternative ingredients, these classic Chinese dishes are updated, fresh and healthily prepared so that anyone can make and enjoy them.

Get CHINESE FOOD MADE EASY: 100 simple, healthy recipes from easy-to-find ingredients

Or get Ching’s first book, China Modern: 100 Cutting-Edge, Fusion Style Recipes for the 21st Century

If you like Chinese food, you’ll LOVE:

The Secrets of Chinese Cooking and Selected Recipes

500+ Healthy Chinese Recipes Cookbook

Quick Easy Chinese Vegetarian Cooking

Technorati Tags: book, Chinese cook book, Chinese food, Chinese Food Made Easy, Ching-He Huang, cuisine

If you’re in London between 19th – 22nd June, 2008, then a free show at the O2 Arena might be worth seeing!

Liz Chi Yen Liew, of Chi2 and Tom E Morrison created original music for the production Time Is Like Water Flowing.
‘Time is like water flowing in a stream, once it is gone you cannot have it back’

Chinese landscape painting is brought to life on an epic scale in this specially commissioned production uniting exquisite depictions of towering mountains and rivers with aerial performance, martial arts and innovative multi-media effects.

In a poetic evocation of passing time and seasonal change, the creative energy of Chinese traditional and contemporary artforms will combine with European virtuosity in creating spectacle, transporting you from the T’ang Dynasty to 21st century Beijing in the blink of an eye.

Original music for this production has been created by Liz Chi Yen Liew and  Tom E Morrison (aka LT CHI SOUND SYSTEM).

Acclaimed for her innovative work as part of electro acoustic violin group Chi2, Liz Liew is well known for her eclectic and dynamic juxtapositions between Chinese and western styles.

Tom E Morrison is an award winning composer and producer whose work has taken in mixing and engineering for the legendary UK band Underworld and composing film music for directors such as Ken Loach and Jackie Chan.

Click for:

Show info
Show pdf flyer (also in Chinese)
Mp3 clips on myspace

ALBUM OUT 18 June on Big Sky Song
14 tracks

Performances:

Thursday 19 June 1.00pm
Friday 20 June 6.00pm, 8.30pm
Saturday 21 June 1.00pm, 4.00pm
Sunday 22 June 1.00pm, 4.00pm

Runs approx 40 mins

FREE entry

Venue:

London Piazza
The O2
North Greenwich, SE10
Tube: North Greenwich

Technorati Tags: 21st century Beijing, aerial performance, CHI2, entertainment, London, O2 Arena, Time Is Like Water Flowing, Tom E Morrison, T’ang Dynasty, United Kingdom

ARTIST INFORMATION:

Artistic Director: Philippe Riou
Performers: Les Passagers
Artist: Huang Yan
Music: Liz Chi Yen Liew and Tom E Morrison
Choreography: Sin-man Yue
Wushu master: Raphael Van
Multi-media: 8gg
Advice on Chinese artists: Christine Yau

French company Les Passagers, which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2008, is internationally renowned for its unique form of vertical theatre, integrating visual arts, dance and music. Led by inspirational director Philippe Riou, the company’s work has been seen at leading European festivals, as well as in Russia, Brazil, USA and the Far East. Last year GDF commissioned Les Passagers to create a Bollywood spectacular for the Trafalgar Square Festival with a team of Mumbai film poster painters. Amongst other forthcoming engagements this summer, the company will perform as part of major Quebec 400 anniversary celebrations in Montreal.

Since the earliest paintings of the Han dynasty, landscape paintings have been the quintessence of Chinese art. Leading contemporary artist Huang Yan  has given this tradition new direction – by transposing it onto the human body. Very few artists expressing the encounter between Chinese traditional culture and the contemporary world have been so successful in simultaneously capturing the fusion and the paradox that this encounter generates and Huang Yan’s extraordinary work has been shown at major exhibitions across the world.

Sin-man Yue is the director of the Sinman Dance Company which combines traditional Chinese and contemporary dance approaches. Previous choreographic commissions have included work for Resolution! at the Place and the ROH2 New Currents season at the Royal Opera House.

8gg is a multi-media duo based in Beijing comprising two dynamic figures in the world of new media: Jiang Haiqing and Fu Yu. Their works include music, video, installation, drama and web arts. In 2002 8gg developed their own real-time audio-visual system which integrates sound and images and their work has been successfully shown in major international media festivals in Australia, Germany and the USA.

I previously posted about an excellent radio series exploring the early history of Chinese people in Britain, which was presented by writer and performer Anna Chen and produced by Mukti Jain Campion of Culture Wise.

Radio 4 are repeating the Chinese in Britain series as two hour long omnibus editions on Friday 16th and 23rd of May, 9pm to coincide with this year’s Reith Lectures which are about China.

“A fascinating story.” – Chris Campling, The Times

“Each episode sounded effortless only because it had been crafted with such supreme care.” – Gillian Reynolds, The Daily Telegraph

Visit the BBC Series Website for more information.

Visit the Culture Wise website

Technorati Tags: Anna Chen, Chinese in Britain, interview, Mukti Jane Campion, United Kingdom

Friends of mine – British Chinese “double violin assault specialists” CHi2 recently premiered their new show MONKEY KING – A Modern Beijing Opera, in North London, UK.

Celebrating the richness and colour of Beijing Opera and re-interpreted for the modern day, CHi2 created a visually and musically exciting show, blending digital media and music.

I photo-documented the event which I have to say, was very good! I’m not a regular live music go-er, but they combined lots of visuals and lighting effects with a variety of musical textures, that told the story of Monkey – who in this case, was depicted by actor Tom Wu.

Stunning if you can catch it! This show was a one-off, but CHi2 are now planning a tour – watch this space!

Check out my photo gallery of Monkey : A Modern Beijing Opera

CHi2’s website

Technorati Tags: A Modern Beijing Opera, Beijing Opera, British Chinese, CHI2, double violin assault specialists, MONKEY KING, Tom Wu

If you’re in London on the 21st or 22nd February 2008, you can get a taste of Beijing hip hop in the form of mandarin rappers Dragon Tongue Squad.

(Photographer: Luna)

As part of the Five Circles Arts Festival, organised by Chinatown Arts Space, Dragon Tongue Squad will cross with wicked London sounds from British Chinese scratch-artist DJ Phat and flamenco guitarist Suki Mok, to share a fantastic set showcasing both their own work and the results of their week-long residency jamming in a London studio. blaZian, a mix of young exciting black and East Asian dancers, will kick off the evening with blaZian Invasion!

Five Circles Arts Festival
Hip Hop Rap (UK/China)
Thursday 21 & Friday 22 February 2008, 8pm
Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera House
£12 Adults, £8 Students & ROH Access List, £5 Standing

More information on ChinatownArtsSpace.com

Technorati Tags: Beijing, Beijing Hip Hop, British Chinese, Chinatown Arts Space, DJ Phat, Dragon Tongue Squad, Five Circles Arts Festival, Mandarin Rappers, music, Royal Opera House, Suki Mok, UK Artists, United Kingdom