Hong Kong Trip part2: Macau Water theatre

(Warning, image heavy post)

Dragon Decoration in one of the Hotel the water theater was part of

Just another continuation of my attempt to make it look like i have a life...During my trip to see my dear mother, we went to see the water theatre play at Macau. I don't visit theatres or see acrobatic plays alot, though that is due to my school year schedule and the fact that good theatre seats are actually expensive.

However, i digress that this was a very good show, worth watching, if even just for the sheer technology involved to make such a show happen.

For those who don't know what the Water Theatre is, its a small 30-50metre tall stadium theatre that has a giant pool in the middle that has more water than 5 olypmic sized pools put together. It boasts its forward technology of turning that 30+meter deep pool into a dry, function stage while at some points in time, sprouts water fountains and pretty light effects. (Did i mention the way they projected images onto the fine mist spray? Quite ingenious use of their technology, though not the most aweing thing from the show.

Well, without spoiling what happens in the end, we have a princess, a evil witch, a hero, the prince, and the awesome 6 feet tall contortionist who danced really funny (in a good way mind you), and then the story unfolds in the most linear fashion; with the hero and prince trying to rescue the princess from the evil witch mother. The story contained little to no dialogue, not that it really needed it since the story was absolutely linear and predictable to the point where i almost forgot what the plot was in the middle of it all. However, it was obvious the star aspects of the play wasn't the story, but the actual acrobatic theatrics and the sheer awesomeness of the stage itself.

The person in charge was someone famous for doing Cirque du Soleil and many other sucessful shows. Without spoiling the rest i'll provide my low resolution images with abit of commentary to explain what is going on.

The stage looked like this before the show started, with a projector screen, vine covered drop downs and the giant pool that extended all the way to the projector screen.

At the beginning of the show, the performers climb up onto the ship mast's that rose out of the water.

Later, two performers controlling a mechanical giraffe runs around to greet the Price and Hero.

The pool disappears as the stage rises and the contortionist and his crew perform on a now dry ground.

Short performance on a chandelier looking dangly thingy. I am so articulate.

A very beautiful scene where the stage is part water, lights, fountains and the pagoda (that came from the pool, again, technology mindblow.) As the princess gets it going with uh...yeah. Very nice projection of the Cherry Blossom tree in the background also.

Mood turns as intruders drop from the ceiling (did i mention the ceiling was super high?) As the colors turn red (for danger!) And the fountains subdue into a pretty glowly things~

A small snow scene as it gets turned into a pool and someone pulls a bridge out of the pools butt. Really pretty scene here.

The stage turns dry as they move in ramps for a mitorcycle short that i felt was really unecessarily, damning the plot to nothingness. I guess it was to satisfy the thrill of danger for the foreigners who weren't into art and theatre as much.

The ending where everyone lives happily after :)

You wont be able to see the costumes from the crappy pictures i took, however, they were all waterproof and custom made, since everything had to withstand acrobatics in water as well, and were overall, very pretty. I suggest you searching up more information on it if you're interested in such things as Soleil or theatres, or water shows in general, if you ever happen to go to Hong Kong or Macau, though you'll need to book tickets months in advance because they're still pretty popular with locals and foreigners.

My Review:

Just to make myself feel self important, i'm going to review it.

Plot: 1.5/5 (I really don't need to explain again)

Acrobatics: 5/5 (Dat contortionist.)

Art direction: 4.5/5 (Everything flowed in with each other, and the colors and music suited the moods of everything that was going on, minus the stupid motorcycle scene that kinda broke the magic for me.)

Over Show: 4/5 Because the technology was just awesome and the acrobatics was good, kind of expected, considering the money and talents that were brought in for this masterpeice.