SHANGHAI: Fancy playing ball with Beckham, living the high life with Yao and breakfasting at Tiffany's with Audrey Hepburn?

Madame Tussauds Shanghai is making final preparations for its May 1 opening, and management is confident of success.

"We know it's going to be hugely popular," General Manager Edward Fuller told China Daily yesterday.

"Experts who have helped operate London, New York, Hong Kong and Amsterdam wax museums are here to manage the flow."

And just in case things start getting too hot to handle, spare body parts have been prepared.

Madame Tussauds group approached Shanghai authorities in early 2004 to discuss the possibility of opening its sixth museum, attracted by its burgeoning reputation.

"We have a new business development department in London looking into potential host cities," Fuller said.

"Shanghai is a fast-moving city with tremendous tourism volume, and the location we chose has the appropriate footfall."

Madame Tussauds Shanghai is located on the 10th floor of New World Department Store on Nanjing Road, one of the most crowded shopping streets in the city.

The exhibit will present 75 wax figures initially, and will add more in its 2nd and 3rd phases. The ticket price is 100 yuan (US$12).

It is an arduous process building the models, taking between three to six months to make just one figure.

"For each person we have to take above 100 measurements," said sculptor David Burks, who took the measurements for Olympic diving champion Guo Jingjing.

"She held the diving pose for two hours," said Marketing Director Cathy Wong. "At the end of the measurement session she was aching, and I was holding her up with my hands."

Wong said that they had to use a ladder to measure Yao Ming.

The attraction will feature seven themed areas including Film, Sport, Speed, and History and Heroes.

Tussauds' first Audrey Hepburn, with her classic image from "Breakfast at Tiffany's," will be the highlight of the film area.

Hepburn sits at the table with her right hand on her chin and left hand holding a cigarette. The seat opposite her is empty, a perfect photo opportunity for all cinema fans.

The choice of Hepburn was made after surveys were conducted in major Chinese cities.

"It turned out Chinese people like Audrey best," said Wong.

Also present will be Liu Xiang, Jacky Chan, Angelina Jolie and her partner Brad Pitt.

But Tussauds have still refused to reveal who is in the "History and Heroes" area, the subject of much speculation. Fuller said they would not reveal anything before the opening. The attraction is also said to be the company's most interactive and high-tech wax museum.

"We know from the surveys that people do not just want to see their favourite celebrities and be with them, they also want to do the things the celebrities do," Fuller said.

"Visitors in Shanghai are allowed to shoot hoops with Yao Ming, play football with David Beckham and Ronaldo, and sing with Hong Kong pop music band Twins."

(China Daily 04/25/2006 page2)