Monkey King antics inspire opera performance for young

Chinese children grow up with tales from the 16th-century classic Journey to the West, which has been adapted into various art forms, such as animation movies, TV dramas, comic books and theatrical productions, catering to contemporary audiences.

The novel recounts the 81 adventures that befall Xuanzang, a Buddhist monk, and his entourage of three animal spirits－the magically heroic Sun Wukong (Monkey King), the clumsy Zhu Bajie (a half-man, half-pig monster) and the fish spirit Sha Wujing.

The novel's comedy and adventure have captivated children for generations.

A Peking Opera performance titled Bajie Bian Bian Bian, based on the tales in the novel and aimed at young audiences, premiered at Star Theater in Beijing on Aug 27.

The show, directed by Bai Ailian of the Jingju Theater Company of Beijing, revolves around Xuanzang and his entourage fighting a battle equipped with wisdom and courage against two monsters.

Actors of the Beijing theater company and the China National Peking Opera Company took part in the performance, characterized by elaborate movements, extravagant makeup and interaction with members of the young audience.

"Many parents are keen for their children to learn something about traditional Chinese art forms, such as Peking Opera. With well-known stories from Journey to the West, children soon become intrigued and interested," says Bai, who works with her friend, director Cheng Sibo, on the show.

Bai, herself a mother, says it was the first time she has directed a Peking Opera show for children.

"Children are attracted by the colors and well-known roles, such as the Monkey King. There are also elements of dancing and martial arts," she says. "These days young people have many forms of entertainment to choose from, and we hope they get something out of this traditional art form."

The show is to be staged at Star Theater during weekends throughout the year.

Hao Weili, the show's producer, says Star Theater has produced Peking Opera shows for children since 2018. More than 300 shows have been staged, attracting nearly 50,000 viewers.

The show in 2019, Super Little Heroes, featured three classic characters from Chinese folk tales: the Monkey King, Hua Mulan and Ne Zha.

In addition to what they see on stage, children are clad in costumes of the characters.

"Every year we have a festival for pioneering Peking Opera shows staged for smaller theaters," Hao says.

"These have been warmly received by young people, and that has inspired us to create more shows for children. The Peking Opera series for children has become one of our best-selling shows."

The Star Theater, established in 2009, has three performance spaces, each with about 200 seats, and is dedicated to presenting Chinese traditional operas. It hosts an annual Xiqu Opera Black Box Festival, which is credited with popularizing ancient Chinese operas among younger audiences who are attracted to the intimacy of small theaters.