Category — United Kingdom

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

We were sent over some promo information about Stevie Hoang, a British Chinese rising star of the UK music scene. We admittedly had never heard of him, but he seems to have created a massive following through social networking – figures below speak for themselves. Read on to find out more.

Stevie Hoang is a rising star of the UK music scene – he’s currently on UK tour with JLS, one of the hottest pop groups of the minute, and he signed to Mercury Music at the end of last year.

He is Chinese British, born in Birmingham and raised in East London to Chinese parents from Vietnam, he has been dubbed the Chinese Neyo and an ‘Asian Sensation’ as he has had more than 15.5 million plays on MySpace, 1.2 million You Tube views for his song ‘Addicted, even though the video was actually a black screen, and sold 65,000 albums in Japan. His track ‘All Night Long’ became Number 1 airplay single in Japan and in the UK he sold 3,000 albums independently.

He’s now releasing his new single ‘No Coming Back’ on 29 March – new video below.

To find out more about Stevie Hoang, check out his website on www.steviehoangmusic.com

Also, visit Stevie Hoang on Visible Chinese for more biographical detail.

Technorati Tags: British Chinese, music, UK music scene, R&B Producer-Artist, Stevie Hoang, United Kingdom

If you’re a British East Asian and aged between 16-30 and you might be curious or interested in actor training, then take a look at Yellow Academy.

Yellow Academy 2010 is an exciting new initiative between Yellow Earth (UK’s leading East Asian* theatre company) and ALRA (The Academy of Live and Recorded Arts). Outreaching to Belfast, Birmingham, London, and Manchester through February to May 2010, Yellow Academy will be bringing together a group of enthusiastic and curious young people down to London for a free week of acting training in Summer 2010.

Activities are free and open to all British East Asians aged 16-30 curious or interested in actor training. No previous experience necessary.

Sound good? Read more about Yellow Academy on Yellow Earth’s website…

Technorati Tags: actor training, ALRA, Academy of Live and Recorded Arts, Yellow Academy, Yellow Earth Theatre

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

Kristopher Ho was born in Hong Kong but has just graduated from Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design this year. He has a superb, intricate, illustration style that showcases his imagination whilst leaving nothing to your imagination.

See more on Kristopher Ho’s website

Via LostAtEMinor

Technorati Tags: graphic design, Hong Kong, illustration, Kristopher Ho, United Kingdom

CHi2 presents Monkey King – a modern Beijing Opera
Fri 2 & Sat 3 Oct at 8pm
Venue 1, Rich Mix, London
£15/£12 (advanced)

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 classic Chinese tale of Monkey King. With special guest for London dates only, tabla maestro Kuljit Bhamra.

Booking: 020 7613 7498 / www.richmix.org.uk/bookings
Group ticket offer: buy 9 tickets get the 10th free

‘Double – violin assault specialists’ CHi2 provide a brand new spin on the classic Chinese tale of Monkey King. Celebrating the richness and colour of Beijing Opera and re – interpreted for the modern day, CHi2 have created an edgy musical cocktail of traditional and modern sounds, fusing together acoustic and electric instruments, digital media and one of the world’s most ancient art forms with a unique contemporary twist, to create a stunning show that bursts with colour and vibrancy.

The story is based on the sixteenth century classic Chinese folk epic novel, Monkey: Journey To The West, to which 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.

For more information see www.chi2.co.uk/monkey or www.richmix.org.uk/aandc_chi2.htm

Book your tickets online at www.richmix.org.uk/bookings
or call the Rich Mix Box Office on 020 7613 7498

London’s Chinatown Art Space presents Piccadilly Revisited, a free outdoor film and live music performance which is part of the Thames Festival.

(Image via BFI Stills, Posters and Designs)

Piccadilly Revisited will take place on Saturday 12th September (2009) between 8.15pm – 10pm on the east-facing facade of the Royal Festival Hall.
About the performance

Piccadilly Revisited is a film and music performance inspired by the life and loves of Hollywood’s first Chinese film star, Anna May Wong, and the classic British silent movie Piccadilly (1929) in which she played a starring role.

Composers Suki Mok and Ruth Chan will perform their new contemporary score to the backdrop of an outdoor screening of the silent film, Piccadilly.

The score is based on a storyboard developed by co-writers Alice Lee and David Tse Ka-Shing.

Wong is the only Asian-American actress with a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. She worked with Dietrich and Olivier, graced the pages of Vogue, Tatler and Vanity Fair, and the song These Foolish Things was written for her. She has experienced a renaissance in recent years, and Chinatown Arts Space is delighted to celebrate her achievements in Piccadilly, her seminal film directed by E.A. Dupont.

“Bold, beautifully crafted…one of the truly great films of the silent era”
Martin Scorsese

The performance on 12th September is the first work-in-progress showing of a cross-artform production to be completed next year, which will incorporate dance, drama and video against a backdrop of the original silent movie.

The completed work will explore the contradictions of Anna May Wong’s life, the impact of the stereotyped ‘orientalist’ roles on offer, and liberate Anna May Wong’s spirit through the intervention of a team of British East Asian artists. Contemporary sensibilities will bring a fresh, vibrant interpretation to the film and her life. Like a Chinese ‘hungry ghost’ coming back to right a wrong, these modern mediums will exorcise her demons and satisfy all appetites.

For more information and to join the CAS mailing list, please visit: www.chinatownartsspace.com

Technorati Tags: Alice Lee, Anna May Wong, Chinatown Arts Space, David Tse Ka-Shing, film, live music, music, Piccadilly Revisited, Thames Festival, Ruth Chan, Suki Mok, United Kingdom

Monkey King – A Modern Beijing Opera. Celebrating the richness and colour of Beijing Opera and re-interpreted for the modern day, Chi2 have created a visually and musically exciting show, blending digital media and music.

The story is based on sixteenth century classic Chinese epic novel, Monkey: Journey To The West, to which Chi2 have composed an original soundtrack, complemented by a filmic interpretation of the storyline.

OneInchPunch has personally experienced Chi2’s Monkey King Show and if you’re able to make it, it is not to be missed!

Chi2 MONKEY KING AUTUMN UK TOUR DATES for SEPT / OCT 2009

Fri 18 Sept – DERBY
Assembly Rooms, Market Place, Derby, DE1 3AH
01332 25580
www.assemblyrooms-derby.co.uk

Sat 19 Sept – CUMBRIA
Kirkgate Theatre Cockermouth, Cumbria, The Lake District
01900 826448
www.thekirkgate.com

Tues 29 Sept – LEICESTER
De Montfort Hall, Granville Road, Leicester
0116 233 3111
www.demontforthall.co.uk

Wed 30 Sept – HEMEL HEMPSTEAD
The Old Town Hall, High Street, Hemel Hempstead
01442 228091
www.theoldtownhall.co.uk

Fri 2 Oct – LONDON
Rich Mix, 35 – 47 Bethnal Green Road, Shoreditch London
020 7613 7498
www.richmix.org.uk

Sat 3 Oct – LONDON
Rich Mix, 35 – 47 Bethnal Green Road, Shoreditch London
020 7613 7498
www.richmix.org.uk

Tues 6 Oct – CHELTENHAM
Everyman Theatre, 7-10 Regent Street, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
01242 57257
www.everymantheatre.org.uk

Technorati Tags: A Modern Beijing Opera, Beijing Opera, Chi 2, entertainment, music, United Kingdom

Man Cheung is a London based photographer who posts one photo everyday and plans to do so for the rest of his life.

Via Not Cot

Technorati Tags: Man Cheung, photography, United Kingdom