The Entertainment Corporation by arrangement with the Gandey Organisation presents
The Chinese State Circus

Mulan

The Chinese State Circus tour and the world premier of its brand new show Mulan is coming to Scotland. The show will not be at the King's Park in Stirling this year but there are plenty of opportunities to see the circus at performances in Lanark, St Andrews, Dundee, Arbroath, Montrose, Elgin, Aberdeen and for two weeks at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Don't miss it.

The circus that changed Big Top entertainment forever, explodes into 2010 with the greatest family entertainment ever assembled beyond the Great Wall of China. Direct from China, a cast of world-class acrobats, deadly martial arts exponents from the Shaolin Temple, and artistes from the internationally acclaimed Peking Opera have been specially assembled to create a lavish and thrilling all-action show.

The Chinese State Circus tour and the world premier of its brand new show Mulan is coming to Scotland. The show will not be at the King's Park in Stirling this year but there are plenty of opportunities to see the circus at performances in Lanark, St Andrews, Dundee, Arbroath, Montrose, Elgin, Aberdeen and for two weeks at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Don't miss it.

Featuring
The amazing SHAOLIN WARRIORS

From the land of legends and warrior Shaolin monks comes the incredible new Chinese State Circus production – the live acrobatic spectacular - Mulan.

A breathtaking fusion of precision acrobatics, Shaolin martial arts, dazzling circus skills, colourful characters from Peking Opera, physical theatre and drama choreographed to an original music score, MULAN is based on the legend of one of China’s greatest heroines. Although the tales of how a peasant girl led an army to save her nation from invasion have spread over the world in poems, songs, books, and films, this is their first incarnation in the all-action world of international circus.

Entertainment for all the family- from the world’s leading Chinese acrobats. From gravity-defying gymnastics to the seemingly impossible body manipulations of the hand-balancer; from the leaping, rolling somersaulting repertoire of the hoop divers to the lavish tradition of the Lion Dance – the undisputed masters of physical theatre will have the audience on the edge of their seats.

Blink and you could miss it – such are the lightening reactions of the greatest exponents of martial arts – the Shaolin Wushu Warriors. Trained at the Shaolin Temple, they stretch the limits of human achievement in the dazzling new production of the Chinese State Circus.

The title role of MULAN is performed by martial arts expert, Cao Jing making her first appearance in the UK. Her 15 years of Kung Fu training will be put to the test in a dramatic fight sequence in which she encounters a giant warrior. Cao Jing started learning martial arts when she was only six years old and has won three championship titles.

Two of the most colourful characters in Chinese folklore, from the exclusive Peking Opera – the Monkey King and his zany companion, Pig – are our guides through the adventure.

Passed down for thousands of years from generation to generation, the ballad of Mulan, written during the Tang dynasty, two thousand years ago, is one of China’s best-loved stories. It’s the inspiring heroic story of a strong-minded country girl who took joined the Emperor’s all-male army in place of her father who was too old to fight. Through her warrior skills she was promoted to the rank of General yet throughout her epic exploits defeating all her enemies no one was aware that she was a woman.

The show will be housed in a state of the art, heated luxury theatre big top and the giant infrastructure will be transported around the UK by a huge fleet of vehicles transporting not only the giant chapito big top but also all the equipment, artistes, trainers, psychotherapists and even chefs, chosen to make sure the artistes and shaolin warriors get the correct nutrition. A complete Circus City.

The Chinese State Circus Mulan Will be at:

Lanark. Agricultural Centre Hyndford Road, ML11 9AX
Mon 14th until Wed 16th June
Performances at:-
Mon 7.45pm
Tues 5pm and 7.45pm
Wed 5pm

St Andrews. Craigtoun Park Piscottie Road, KY16 8NX
Fri 18th until Sun 20th June
Performances at:-
Fri 7.45pm
Sat 3pm and 7.45pm
Sun 3pm

Dundee. Riverside Park DD2 1AZ
Wed 23rd until Sun 27th June
Performances at:-
Wed to Fri 5pm and 7.45pm
Sat 3pm and 7.45pm
Sun 3pm

Arbroath Inchcape Park DD11 1PW
Mon 28th until Wed 30th June
Performances at:-
Mon 7.45pm
Tues 5pm and 7.45pm
Wed 5pm

Montrose East Links DD10 8EL
Fri 2nd until Sun 4th July
Performances at:-
Fri and Sat 3pm and 7.45pm
Sun 3pm

Elgin Lossie Green IV30 1AP
Tues 6th until Sun 11th July
Performances at:-
Tues 7.45pm
Wed to Sat 3pm and 7.45pm
Sun 3pm

Aberdeen Queen’s Links, Beach Boulevard, AB24 5EF
Tues 13th July until Tues 3rd August
Performances at:-
Weekdays 3pm and 7.45pm
Sundays and 3rd August 3pm

Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Ocean Terminal, Leith, EH6 6JJ
Fri 6th until Sun 22nd August
Performances at:-
Weekdays 3pm and 7.45pm
Fri 20th 7.45pm
Saturdays 3pm and 7.45pm
Sundays 3pm
Thursdays no performances

Tickets available from Ticketmaster 0844 576 5506

The Legend of Mulan

At the time of Mulan’s birth, women were confined to their homes. A woman was expected to stay at home to do all the housework, look after her parents, her husband and her children. In fact the women were not allowed to contact the world beyond their families and relatives unless permission was given by their parents or husband. So the chances of being anything other than a housewife were almost impossible.

But Mulan was to be the exception. She was a strong-willed, rebellious tom-boy. Her greatest love was in pursuit of martial arts and she was fortunate enough to be the daughter of a great and distinguished warrior who taught her everything he knew. Mulan dedicated herself to learning and practice – but not just to become a master of he art. Her sole aim was to become a great General – just like her father. It was a secret she shared with no one. The chances of a woman joining the army – never mind becoming an officer – were unheard of.

Many years later fate intervened to provide the opportunity! Enemy forces had invaded the country and the Emperor was besieged. Mulan’s father, although retired from the army, was sent orders by the Emperor to report to the battle front. He was too old and weak to join the army again. But to save his reputation and fulfil her own destiny Mulan took to dressing up in the uniform of the General. Mulan became known as ‘the heroic dashing young officer’ who saved the Emperor and defeated the enemy driving their forces out of the country forever.

It was only after the war when Mulan asked the Emperor for permission to return home that she revealed her secret – that she was the only woman in his army. The Emperor forgave her for her loyal ‘cheating’. This is the basic story line of the legend of Mulan which for centuries has enthralled and inspired the Chinese people of rank and file – from the most humble to the most powerful. It is a story that has been handed down from generation to generation and as with any legend has been elaborated and enhanced from time to time.

With the emergence of the feminist movement and the emancipation of women in China, Mulan has become a towering symbol of achievement attracting the attention of the modern weavers of story-telling magic who use the stage or film or television to enthral their audiences. Chinese and Hollywood film directors have been inspired to create their own versions of the legend adding new characters.

A major new feature film ‘Hua Mulan’ starring one of Chinas most famous and popular film stars – Zhao Weir – is due for an eagerly awaited release in 2010. Anticipated to be a huge box office success, the film not only deals with Mulan’s loyalty and bravery but also weaves in a love –story. Adjusting the great legend does not offend China’s rich and diverse culture which allows for reasonable fiction and imagination in the creation of literary and artistic works.