The ilikemusic Journey To The West

Monkey: Journey To The West is a stage adaptation of the 16th Century Chinese novel Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en. The production was devised by Chinese actor and director Chen Shi-zheng, together with Damon Albarn and British artist Jamie Hewlett, the pair behind the Gorillaz.

Monkey: Journey To The West is their latest project. After researching the music, performance and production styles innate with Chinese culture, the production was born. Featuring a cast of over 40 chinese performers, including acrobats, silk dancers, contortionists, volcano soldiers, skeleton demons, a Mongolian Kung Fu pig and a singing starfish, the show is a feast for the imagination. With a breathtaking score composed by Damon Albarn and the show's graphics, animated video projection and stage and costume design by Jamie Hewlett, the production transports the audience into the world of lead character Monkey. We followe his quest for redemption and enlightenment as he accompanies the monk Tripitaka to bring the sacred Buddhist scrolls back from India.

Brought to life with the invaluable help of Chen Shi-zheng the result is a show which intertwines contemporary performance and composition with traditional aspects of Chinese culture and music. From rolling bass lines and broken distorted beats melding effortlessly into the hypnotic eb and flow of traditional chinese instrumentation to underwater, volcano and jungle scenes, the cast, crew and orchestra bring to life this ambitious cross-pollenisation of sounds, sensations, designs and cultures.
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