C!Talk’s You & Me: Culture Jam for Dandelion School

“C!Talk is an intiative of a global organization called World Culture Open and is a series of culture-related performances held in the Beijing MOMA Cinematheque every two months.”

This Saturday, May 19th will see the first of a four-part event series by C!Talk Beijing to raise cultural awareness through performances by local artists and 100% of the ticket sales will go to The Dandelion School of Beijing to provide a chance for underprivileged children to also attend fun theatrical events.

“C!Talk thrives to create an open stage where people can enjoy their rights to arts. The May 19th show will deliver an unforgettably engaging, inspiring, and thoroughly entertaining experience to the Beijing community.” – Janet Kang, organizer for C!Talk Events

Their first event will feature international artists and performers showing their talents around the theme : You & Me.

Performers include Beijing’s beloved and very hilarious Beijing Improv Group along with a Argentinian Tango and talented multicultural musician Rani Geroult.

C!Talk’s Performing Artists:

• Argentinian Tango by Annie Cheung and Mark Jonikas - Annie Cheng is an independent modern dancer & choreographer, Argentine tango instructor and performing arts organizer. Both Annie and her dance partner Mark Jonikas will take you through the concept and demonstration of two sorts of magnetisms in Tango. 

• Rani Geroult - Born in India and raised in France, Rani Geroult has a personal background that binds her to both Western and Eastern cultures. From the self taught musician playing in the streets of Sanary-sur-Mer in France to becoming an international vocal artist in Beijing, Rani has crossed a trajectory and developed a different voice and style taking her to places, and charming international audiences all over the world.  A multicultural and multitalented musician, Rani will perform several improvisational pieces.

• Beijing Improv - Beijing Improv is China’s oldest and largest Improvised Theater organization, produced widely acclaimed monthly comedy shows and winning raving reviews. They will perform several interactive comedy skits created based on the theme “you and me”

• The Buu Club – Created in 2010 by a group of young musicians fascinated with aboriginal music, they aspire to promote freedom, happiness, tolerance, and a natural lifestyle. For this event, they will perform a “conversation” between a Djembe and a Darbuka (Middle Eastern drum). 

“Perhaps the most exciting part of the show is the Buu Club’s  ’Cultural Jam’ performance that invites two different genres of cultures to perform improvisational and interactive ‘jamming,’ and this time we will feature two different types of drums – Djembe and Darbuka.” – Janet Kang

Event tickets are only RMB 30 per person but keep in mind that 100% of ticket sales will be donated to the Dandelion School of Beijing.

To read more about Annie Cheung and Rani Geroult’s performances for C!Talk’s “You & Me” event this Saturday, May 19, check out Global Times article here.

Event Details:

• Date: Saturday, May 19, 2012

• Time: 16:00-17:30

• Location: Beijing MOMA Cinematheque 当代MOMA 百老汇电影中心

• Address: North area of Dongzhimen MOMA, 1 Xiangheyuan Lu, Chaoyang district  朝阳区东直门香河园路1号, 万国城北区（二环路东北角）

• Website: Click here

About C!Talk:

C!TALK is about creative talent sharing. C!TALKs provide with a stage where such cultural wisdom and stories are shared with a larger public. Invited artists from diverse cultural genres will perform on stage and talk with the audiences to share their wisdom, experiences and the stories of tears and laughs.

“1 event ticket per child.”  - Many of us have the memory of heartfelt sensation from being to events such as ballet, musical, orchestra performances or plays. Such sentiment seeds joy and even hope to many people. C!TALKs ask audience to purchase tickets (RMB 30), but 100% of the profit, in turn, are used to support event tickets for children of less privileged, those who don’t have much access to the live theatrical events.

Organized in series bimonthly, each C!TALK session is created by collaboration among diverse groups of people from a local community. It raises awareness of community spirit among the participating artists, organizers, sponsors, volunteers, audiences, and the recipients of donations alike.

The program is designed as a part of ‘creative sharing’ initiative of the World Culture Open, a global network organization which strives to provide open and creative intercultural platform for people to engage, enjoy, embrace and be enriched together, sharing and respecting each other’s cultural experiences and knowledge, as well as dreams and ideas.

LDS Hook-Up: Free Tix to Chopschticks Comedy

“HILARIOUS!” – South China Morning Post

“BEST VISITING COMEDY!” – Timeout NY

“AN ENTERTAINMENT PHENOMENON! I AM IN AWE OF THEIR TALENT!” – The Scotsman

A World-Class Improvisational Comedy Show by The Chicago Improv All-Stars!

Hosted by ChopSchticks, there will be three performances this weekend – Friday, November 11 at 8:00pm AND two shows on Saturday, November 12 at 7:00PM and a late show at 10:00 PM at the Hard Rock Cafe (3rd Ring Road Liangmaqiao)!

“The Chicago Improv All-Stars. These guys are among the best improvisational actors and musicians working in the world today. Their troupe has done 1,400 shows around the world to RAVE reviews and we are pumped to have four of their main players here in the lovely Northern Capital that is Beijing. If you have seen Whose Line Is It Anyway, then you’ll be familiar with the type of on-the-spot, audience suggestion based sketch comedy and musical bits that these guys do. And do so well. You will LOVE THIS SHOW.

*Warning* DO NOT attend this show if you are allergic to awesomeness.” - Richard Robinson, Founder of Chopschticks

Get the LumDimSum Hook-Up for free tickets to Saturday’s Chopschticks Show! 

This offer comes on a first come, first dibs basis so if you want to get hooked up, just email – kristen@lumdimsum.com before 6PM on Thursday, November 10. *Pls specify which show time you prefer for Saturday, November 12 (either 7PM or 10PM show time)

Ticket Info: 300 RMB at the door, Every ticket comes with a free drink!  See website here for more details.

Event Details: 

• Dates: Friday, November 11 at 8PM & Saturday, November 12 at 7PM and 10PM
• Price: RMB 250 (pre-sale) or RMB 300 at door
• Location: Hard Rock Cafe, on 3rd Ring Road by Liangmaqiao (see map below)
• Call for directions – 6590 0500
• Website: http://chopschticks.com/city-beijing/

Kevin Spacey in Beijing as Shakespeare’s Richard III

“With the most classic play, the most unadulterated interpretation, the most luxurious cast and the most shining stars, Richard III grandly makes its debut in NCPA, and launches the shock wave of Shakespeare’s dramas once again.”

Already receiving raving reviews in the US, Richard III is a joint creation by BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music), The Old Vic and Neal Street. For the first time since 5 Oscar-winning movie American Beauty (1999), director Sam Mendes and oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey (who is also the Artistic Director of The Old Vic) come together for the Bridge Project’s modern twist on Shakespeare’s Richard III.

Coming to the National Centre of Performing Arts in Beijing from November 11-13th, with performances starting at 19:30, the play is about 210 minutes long (intermissions included) and tickets range from RMB 200-680. There is an additional showing on November 12 from 2PM-4PM with a few ticket options remaining as well. Tickets are going fast, so if you are interested, you’d better act now.

New York Times critic Ben Brantley praised Spacey for “giving fierce and flashy physical life to every twist of a power-mad man’s corkscrew mind.”

The supporting roles include Maureen Anderman as his disapproving mother, the Duchess of York, and Haydn Gwynne and Gemma Jones as the displaced queens Elizabeth and Margaret. Chuk Iwuji is the crafty Duke of Buckingham and Chandler Jones plays Richard’s ill-fated brother.

See Snapshots of this Rendition of Shakespeare’s Richard III:

View Youku Trailer for Kevin Spacey in “Richard III” here:

If you are watching from the US, click here for Youtube video.

With tickets selling fast, you should act now if you want to see Kevin Spacey’s brilliant performance as Richard III.

Event Details:

• Dates: November 11-13, 2011
• Time: 7:30PM (special showing from 2-4PM on November 12)
• Location: National Center of Performing Arts (NCPA)
• Address: 2 Xichang’an Jie, Xicheng District, Beijing
• Tel: 66550000
• Price: RMB 200/320/480/580/680  (prices for additional showing: 180/300/420/500/580/680)
• Website: Click here

Bravo Rigoletto!

Seeing the Opera Rigoletto in the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) aka The Egg for the very first time was such a beautiful experience.

From the emotive orchestra, the strong vocals, the tragic story of love and loss, the classic set design and traditional costumes to the experience of watching such a classic opera within such an impressive space, I left Rigoletto in awe.

Synopsis:

Rigoletto is a story about the hunchback jester who mocks the courtiers around the court of the Duke and is cursed by a Count whose daughter is dishonored. Meanwhile, his beloved and beautiful daughter is seduced by the profligate Duke and while Rigoletto hires an assassin to kill the Duke, his daughter chooses to sacrifice her life to save her beloved Duke, despite his fickle heart.

Tragic, moving love story aside, I was blown away by the music and could not stop humming the tunes for the rest of the night.  *I should apologize now to my friends who had to listen to my pathetic attempts to singing opera last night.

With cameras forbidden inside, I only got a quick snapshot with my iPhone, but I think it captures the essence of Rigoletto, where all the action takes place in the third act:

Now I’ve heard quite a lot of people hating on the Egg because of it’s modern design, it’s location next to Tian An Men, etc. etc., but whoever thinks that the Egg’s interior is nothing less of remarkable needs to get their eyes checked.  I was beyond impressed – its height, lighting and grandeur aura made my first opera in Beijing truly magnificent.

If you haven’t had the privilege of seeing the inside of The Egg yet, here’s a taste of what lies within:

I Do! I Do! by Beijing Playhouse

A Beijing Playhouse production, the two character Broadway musical I Do! I Do! will be showing every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 pm, Sunday matinees at 2 pm between May 14-23, 2010 at The Goose & Duck.

The heartwarming story of a husband & wife – Agnes and Michael Snow – spans fifty years, from 1895 to 1945, as it focuses on the trials and tribulations, laughter and sorrows, and hopes and disappointments experienced by the couple throughout their marriage. With the set contained solely in their bedroom, you see the couple from the beginning of their relationship with wedding jitters to raising a family and growing old together.

Performed in English with Chinese subtitles.  For reservations, email: performance@beijingplayhouse.com.

• Dates: May 14-23, 2010
• Show Times: Thursday-Saturdays at 7:30PM, Sundays at 2PM
• Location: 2nd floor of The Goose & Duck
• Tickets: RMB 160 in advance; RMB 200 at the door (Half price for students and children: 80 in advance, 100 at door)