no. 11 - 南墙计划

vocals: 9/10 || acting: 8/10 || (music) score: 9/10 || stage presence: 9/10 || characters: 10/10 || plot: 9/10 || staging: 9/10 || audience: 10/10 || logistics: 8/10

The main flaw of this show is the mix. A lot of ensemble songs sound very muffled and unclear, but other than that, this show was really amazing. The plot revolves around the debate regarding tradition and innovation and whether or not one is more important than the other. There are many references to rock music as well as traditional Chinese folk music as the characters use the two distinct genres to further the debate. One of the songs in the musical combine the two styles in the form of a duet, and the two actors sing the same melody/lyrics in the two distinct styles. It was stunning to witness the fusion of the two styles and that song definitely left the strongest impression. I also watched this musical less than two months after the passing of someone really close to me, which is probably why I was so sensitive to topics relating to separation. The main characters experience the seperation of a close friend in their friend group, and I think I cried the whole time from that moment on to the end of the musical. It’s not exceptionally heartwarming, but a lot of the emotions in those scenes are done really well.