Monkey around

The modernized version of the famous Monkey King musical makes jaws drop with its contemporary twists. The people behind the scenes share with Chen Jie their inspirations and their optimistic views about Chinese musicals.

Every Chinese grows up with the story of the Monkey King, but I'll bet not many have ever seen it like this: the main character is an African-American who dances hip-hop; the Emperor of Heaven wears Prada, Gucci and Armani; the Dragon King and his wife fight with each other about whether to give weapons to the monkey or not; their three daughters, all in modern dresses and high-heel shoes, compete for the heart of the monkey.

Everything in the new version of the Monkey King musical, co-produced by Beijing Performance & Arts Group and Beijing Genhua International Culture and Media, makes jaws drop.