Original musicals have become a key part of the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong’s programming. After Bug Symphony (2015) and Wild (2022), the orchestra premiered its third creation, Shark Symphony, at the Tsuen Wan Town Hall on April 20.
Written by Leanne Nicholls, the founder and artistic director of CCOHK, Shark Symphony has a strong sustainability theme.
Two businessmen, Ken and Michael (Perrin Pang and Michael Sharmon), have started an underwater restaurant called “The Deep”. Its selling point is sustainable seafood and spectacular underwater views. The major investor, Doris (Jessica Ng), has requested that her singer daughter Belle (Crisel Consunji) performs in the restaurant. Ken and Belle fall in love and decide to get married.
The scene where Ken and Michael introduce their dishes to Doris and the influential food critic Mrs Moore (Jacqueline Gourlay Grant) is more educational than funny, though the beauty parade of sea creatures that follows includes cleverly choreographed acrobatic and dance performances by lobsters, jellyfish and other animals that thrilled the crowd.
The costume and make-up (Nicholls and Aurora Corpus, respectively) are spectacular. The mysterious anglerfish, for example, sees performers wearing helmets in the shape of the deep-sea creature with lights for eyes, while the manta ray is brilliantly imitated by cyr wheel artist Zara Asa dressed in a sheer cape. The smooth, regular rhythm of the wheel truly brings to mind the flapping motion that manta rays make.
Conflict arises in the second half when Belle and her mother disagree about serving shark fin soup during her wedding banquet. The tension is never resolved as the story ends abruptly – the happy couple get married without noticing that shark fin soup is secretly served to guests after all.
The musical is semi-staged, with the orchestra playing at the back behind a gauze screen. Computer-generated views of the exuberant underwater world created by Gary Chan is projected onto the screen. Tables are set at either side of the stage, where most of the acting takes place.
There are nine songs in the first half and seven in the second (reprise included), leading to a feeling that too much weight has been placed on the first half (a similar imbalance was also found in Wild). Some numbers from the first half could be cut to leave more room in the second for solving the characters’ conflict.
Audience screams and cheers after breakneck Hong Kong ballet
Audience screams and cheers after breakneck Hong Kong ballet
Her emotional last number, Still Life, could be have been the best song of the musical. Unfortunately, the atmosphere is ruined at the end of it when the supposedly dead shark in the middle of the stage suddenly appears to come back to life, sliding off to the stage’s side for his next appearance.
Finnish musician Antti Paalanen impresses with both his accordion playing and his throat singing, a technique used to produce a deep, low voice that is perfect for representing the shark’s presence.
The extremely diverse performances are dazzling: from belly and sword dancing to acrobatics, the cyr wheel and breakdancing, Shark Symphony is a highly entertaining visual feast.
Credit has to be given to violin leader and music director Amelia Chan, who does well to hold the orchestra and other musicians together who play either side of the screen.
Shark Symphony provides joy and surprise to both children and parents, perfect for a family-friendly musical. CCOHK has now completed musicals about bugs, jungle animals and marine life. Maybe they should consider making their next one about birds.
Despite the title, Shark Symphony puts less focus on the music than CCOHK’s last two musicals, with the core of the production very much about the action and the costumes.
The orchestra has now completed musicals about bugs, jungle animals and marine life. Maybe they should consider making their next one about birds.
Shark Symphony, City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong, Tsuen Wan Town Hall Auditorium. Reviewed: April 20.
