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First Chinese musical 'Takeaway' staged in UK
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CNTV, June 20, 2011
Britain's Theatre Royal in London's East End is staging a production with an ethnic difference - it's the UK's first Chinese musical. The Royal, the country's most famous theatre outside of the West End, is known for staging sometimes controversial productions that give voice to minority groups.
As CCTV reporter Richard Bestic reports, the hero of the play, "Takeaway", is attempting to shrug off the image of the Chinese as all hugely ambitious.
It's all about a boy who dreams of becoming a star...nothing unusual there except this boy's British born Chinese and he's angry.
He wants to break free from the aspirational stereotypes that cling to the hundreds of thousands who like him make up the largest and oldest Chinese community in Europe.
The Chinese have been in the UK for 200 years...but this is Britain's first professionally produced Chinese musical. The playwright, a New Yorker, says in the States young Chinese share some of the frustrations of their UK cousins.
For those who follow Hong Kong pop...the tunes here may have a familiar ring.
Possibly because in this truly international production, the score's written by a Hong Konger..
Times have changed in the hundred year that they've been putting on shows here in London's working class East End.
Richard Bestic said, "These days you don't have to wait for the reviews to be published. Here at the Theatre Royal the management are actively encouraging theatregoers to tweet what they think...We'll have to wait and see what they say. Rb CCTV at the Theatre Royal in London's East End."
