Book of Mountains and Seas review – puppets and percussion, Mandarin and a monkish chorus

Lyceum, EdinburghVisually arresting moments in lanterns and silk, and Huang Ruo’s haunting soundscapes, bring to life ancient Chinese creation myths in Basil Twist’s production There’s no doubting composer Huang Ruo and director Basil Twist’s ambition in Book of Mountains and Seas. Over 75 minutes, using six puppeteers, two percussionists and a choir of 12 – the excellent Ars Nova Copenhagen – they aim to create the world before our very eyes before nearly destroying it, twice. And all by manipulating some lanterns, a few swathes of silk and a handful of fragments reminiscent of flotsam. The action is measured, the sound world haunting, and the visuals, nimbly lit by Ayumu “Poe” Saegusa, are effective, but it does take a while to get going.Ruo, who was born in China and lives in the US, writes assured, distinctive music, fusing east and west in a way that feels natural and authentic. Here, he deploys an array of tuned and untuned percussion instruments, some of them used in traditional Chinese orchestras, but most familiar to western ears. Gongs, finger cymbals, marimba and Tibetan singing bowls put in appearances, yet all are used sparingly. Vocally, too, there’s a certain austerity, whether in sober chant or rhythmic chatter. Melismatic melodies and ululating choruses lend cross-cultural spice to Ruo’s musical melting pot. Continue reading...

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