Shaolin monks show to take centre stage

The renowned sword tossing and fiery production, Shaolin, is set to keep you on the edge of your seat as it takes centre stage at Montecasino’s Teatro until 10 July.

In an interview with Fourways Review, Shaolin master, Zhuang Yubao said, “We once performed here in South Africa six years ago at the Nelson Mandela Square, and it is the first time we included females in the show to join the performing cast members.”

The limited two-week season takes the stage with gripping performances from the 23 monks in the production.

“The last time we performed here, the story had female monks who were ordered to be killed by the old monks but one survived the whole slaughter,” he said. “Now that the young female monk has grown up, the empire wants to kill her, which in that sense, we will be able to finish the show as in the last production we did not conclude what happened next.”

Yubao added that the reason behind them having women monks in the production was to show that women could do the same skills that were required in the play, as the men.

“When we perform onstage we know that there is always a risk that our monks can get hurt, as the weapons we use are very dangerous. Regardless of that fact, we train our monks to learn how to control their balance of the spiritual and physical which will make them execute their performances perfectly.

“They can use the power of the mind which makes them control themselves from being injured. Children are sent to the Shaolin temple as young as two years old to be taught the skills of Kung Fu. Some parents feel that their children should start these skills at an early age.”

The show combines traditional Shaolin Kung Fu choreography with dramatic lighting and sound effects which evoke the spirit of the monks traditions in the performance.

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