Wing Chun is a dance drama that celebrates the eponymous martial art and its noted practitioner, Yip Man, who was the teacher of film star, Bruce Lee. The show presents its protagonist's story through a series of tableaux and movement sequences that are cleverly framed by the device of making a silent film. The latter endeavour parallels the struggles of Yip Man, who strives to establish a martial arts school, with the narrative of Da Chun, a young film maker who is trying to depict that story. Wing Chun is a visually seductive experience which has some absolutely breathtaking moments that reference classical ballet, modern dance and breakdancing. For us, however, the high points were the action scenes and the displays of the various styles of self-defence. Chang Hongji as Yip Man performs some extraordinary physical feats as he takes on the bullies and bandits of the House of 72 Tenants where he takes up residence in Hong Kong. And, his achievements are brilliantly matched by those of Feng Haoran who plays the earnest Da Chun. In the second act, the displays of the Praying Mantis, Taichi and Bajiquan styles of self-defence are simply spectacular and these moments alone are worth the price of admission. It is unfortunate that the sets, which are so cleverly used throughout most of the work, obscured some of the action in this section, highlighting the sightline issues in the production. Another special moment for us was the extraordinarily lyrical "Returning Home" section with its exquisite use of gambiered Guangdong gauze. This retreat of Yip Man's wife to her village because of her illness is intended as an emotional climax to the piece. However, the development of this relationship didn't really resonate, and the drama is not notable for its character creation. Yip Man is a one dimensional heroic figure, and the simplistic storyline is underlined by a score that is sonorous and rather repetitively triumphalist. In the end, good unsurprisingly triumphs over evil, and the whole experience concludes with a segment called "Promoting Heritage" which hits the intended notes of optimism and nationalism. The strengths of Wing Chun are the impressive physical prowess of its cast and the stunningly picturesque presentation of the work. It is a fascinating look at the state of dance culture in China, and the Chinese state's use of the culture of dance.
Rated: ★★★
Reviewed by J.C.
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