Monday, February 19, 2007

Mask changing originated 300 years ago in China as part of the Sichuan opera performances. I remember watching a Chinese movie showcasing this ancient art. The King of Masks (1996) or Bian Lian was about an aging Chinese man who needs to find a male heir to inherit the dying art. One night after a performance, a slave trader sold a young boy to the protagonist. All is well until the latter found out that the boy was actually a girl. The old man was heartbroken for only a boy can learn the face-changing skill. There is a strong fatherly love bond between the two characters and I cried towards the ending of the movie. A must watch for the culture and heartwarming scenes.



And so when I knew there was going to be a mask-changing act happening at Ikano today, I knew I had to watch it. George, a Malaysian guy was executing the ancient Chinese art. He appears amateurish but I remain fascinated.

4:39 PM 1 comments hmm?