Fresh from performing with Moby (world tours), Asian Dub Foundation (UK) and Sarah Blasko (UK/Europe), Chi2 are performing a special one-off performance of their unique Monkey King show in the picturesque town of Ludlow in Shropshire.

CHi2 presents
Monkey King – a modern Beijing Opera
Saturday 20 March at Ludlow Assembly Rooms,1 Mill Street, Ludlow Shropshire SY8 1AZ

Fusing the worlds of electro-acoustic music, film-making and story-telling, CHi2 (Liz & Sarah Liew)’s exciting multi-media production is based on the sixteenth century classic Chinese folk epic novel, Monkey: Journey To The West. CHi2 have composed an original soundtrack, complemented by the filmic interpretation of the storyline by filmmakers Michele Rosaus and Steve Teers, whilst award – winning composer Tom E Morrison has produced the score. The drama both aurally and visually is enhanced by the interaction of actor/narrator Tom Wu as he employs spoken word, narration and his expertise in kung fu to convey the thrill – seeking adventures of the storyline.

Booking: 01584 878141
Group discount: buy 8 tickets and get the 9th free

If you happen to be in Shropshire, this is well-worth attending!

Technorati Tags: CHi2, Monkey King, multimedia show, Monkey: Journey To The West, Shropshire

In the vein of Jackass and other people who create entertainment by coming up with quirky urban activities, these guys from Japan created the Kyoto Ghetto Olympics. Though we’re underwhelmed with the skill on show, its amusing to see the guys bat a shuttlecock across a rail crossing and slide themselves on an inflatable along a slippery wall.

Via Urlesque

Technorati Tags: entertainment, Japan, humour, Kyoto Ghetto Olympics

For fans of chocolate, (maybe the world majority!), there’s a new Willy-Wonka style theme park in Beijing. It’s the Chocolate Wonderland Park which is next to the Bird’s Nest Olympic Stadium and features five pavilions: the World’s Chocolate Hall, World’s Candy Hall, Wonderland Theme Hall, Sweet Experience Hall and the Sweet Gift Hall.

The 215,000 square foot park uses about 80,000 kilograms of chocolate (imported from Belgium) and also apparently includes a Sweet Stage and Sweet Shopping Street where chocolate makers are on hand to teach children how to make their own chocolate.

The chocolate park showcases artifacts including miniatures of the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, as well as life-size chocolate replicas of the Terra Cotta Warriors.

The park will stay open until April 2010 when the weather will be too warm for the chocolate. By January 2011, it is planned to reopen with all new displays.

More photos on The Telegraph

Technorati Tags: Beijing, China, chocolate exhibition, Chocolate Wonderland Park, chocolates

Director Joe Douglass sent us his latest, Take Out, a perhaps NSFW but quirky short about the horrors of leftover take out. Try at your peril!

Technorati Tags: entertainment, film, Take Out, short, take out food, takeaway leftovers

Super-skilled as they are, the traditional “Shaolin Monks show” has really gotten around now, but we’ve only just heard about Sutra, which has been across the globe and back since 2008.

Sutra is a critically-acclaimed production that marks a collaboration between Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Antony Gormley and 17 Shaolin Monks!

Winner of the prestigious Ballettanz Production of the Year award, Sutra is a fascinating exploration of the philosophy and faith behind the Shaolin tradition, its relationship with Kung-Fu, and its position within a contemporary context.

It looks different to the usual Shaolin show and with a touch of modernism, looks amazing! I’m envious of anyone who’s in London during March 2010, when the show hits Sadler’s Wells, as I’d love to see it. However, for anyone like me, there’s a beefy video clip that’s over 3 minutes long that gives you a sizeable taste of the show.

Visit Sutra on the Sadler’s Wells website for more information and to book

Performance times
Sat 13 – Wed 17 March & Mon 22 – Fri 26 March at 7.30pm
Running time : 1 hr
Tickets : £10 – £35

Thanks David!

Technorati Tags: dance film, entertainment, London, martial arts, Antony Gormley, Sadler’s Wells, Shaolin, Shaolin Monks, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Sutra, United Kingdom

Japanese Game Shows return to OneInchPunch again and no more quirkier than watching a few animals pitted against a route to a plate of food lined with dominos. Watch to find out which animal can walk through without toppling any of them.

Via Cute Overload

Technorati Tags: animals, dominoes, Japan, Japanese game show

SPIRIT WARRIORS is a new martial arts fantasy children’s drama that begins in the UK on the 22nd January on CBBC, BBC 2 and BBC HD. It’s the first time in British television history that a TV series made in the UK has a majority East Asian cast! Check out this trailer below which shows that the series has alot of potential..

SPIRIT WARRIORS will run for 10 weeks, after which a special one off behind-the-scenes show will air.

More about Spirit Warriors below…

Prepare to step into a mystical realm where dragons talk, shadows come to life and the fate of the world lies in the hands of a teenager and her friends, when the new action-packed martial arts fantasy drama series Spirit Warriors airs on CBBC from mid-January.

Inspired by ancient Chinese myths and legends the show follows Bo (Jessica Henwick), her sister Jen (Alicia Lai) and fellow school kids Vicky (Lil’ Simz), Trix (Gilles Geary) and Martin (Karl Rogers) who, during a trip to a museum, are transported to a parallel Spirit World.

Once there, they find themselves transformed into Spirit Warriors, each with their own special spirit power. With the help of their mentor Shen, a Chinese dragon, they have to use their new-found skills to navigate the realms of Wood, Water, Earth and Fire and find 12 legendary spirit pieces before the evil warlord Li (Benedict Wong) and his henchman Hwang (Tom Wu) can get their hands on them.

The CBBC production has been created by up-and-coming writer Jo Ho, is produced by Nick Pitt (Silent Witness, Robin Hood) and executive produced and directed by BAFTA-winning programme maker Jon East (That Summer Day, Summerhill).

British Chinese community website Dim Sum reviews Spirit Warriors – read more…

Technorati Tags: entertainment, martial arts, Spirit Warriors, tv series, United Kingdom

Zoë Baxter returns to (UK) London’s Arts Radio Station Resonance 104.4 FM on Thursday 21st January at 7pm for Lucky Cat series 4. Lucky Cat is a weekly, live, one hour, magazine style radio programme that focuses on Chinese and East Asian culture.

Previous shows have included a feature on the Chinese contribution to Reggae, live performances from British East Asian musicians, interviews with cultural arts organisers and a live freestyle performance Chinese rappers Dragon Tongue Squad. Every week a new recipe will be tried and tasted in regular feature The Dim Sum Lunchbox.

Links

luckykitty.blogspot.com
www.luckycat.podomatic.com
www.resonancefm.com
Zoë Baxter on Visible Chinese

Technorati Tags: entertainment, Lucky Cat, Resonance 104.4 FM, radio, Zoë Baxter

In what looks like a promotional spot for Cup Noodle, these guys throw pots of Cup Noodle around without spilling any of it.

Via TokyoMango

Technorati Tags: Cup Noodle, entertainment, Japan

No sooner do we post about an Otaku dinner with a virtual date that we come across the news that a Japanese man has “married” his video game girlfriend – an anime character who lives inside a Nintendo DS.

The gamer fell in love with the virtual woman named Nene Anegasaki while playing Love Plus, a dating simulation game. The aim of Love Plus is to court and build a relationship with one of three cartoon-style women, but virtual romance was not enough for this particular player, identified only by his username Sal9000.

Read more on the Telegraph

Via Bibzee

Technorati Tags: culture, dating simulation game, entertainment, gamer marries gamer girlfriend, JApan, Love Plus, Nene Anegasaki, Nintendo DS, video game girlfriend