Review | Dance drama Mulan is cinematic and striking. Kudos to the Ningbo Performance & Arts Group

Dance drama takes a surprisingly sombre approach to the classic Chinese story, and features a great performance from lead dancer Hao Ruoqi

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Hao Ruoqi in the title role in Ningbo Performance & Arts Group’s performance of Mulan as part of the Chinese Culture Festival 2024 in Hong Kong. Photo: LCSD

Natasha Rogai

Published: 5:15pm, 16 Sep 2024

Mulan is a multi-award-winning dance drama based on one of China’s best-known and best-loved legends.

The production by China’s Ningbo Performance & Arts Group, presented in Hong Kong by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department as part of the Chinese Culture Festival 2024, takes a surprisingly sombre approach to the story, with many powerful moments as well as some lighthearted ones.

It is distinguished by striking visual and theatrical effects and an exceptional performance from Hao Ruoqi in the title role.

For those unfamiliar with the legend, Hua Mulan was a young girl in ancient China who disguised herself as a man and joined the army in place of her aged father when war broke out. After many years of winning renown in battle, she went home to be reunited with her father and returned to a peaceful life as a woman.

Mulan by Ningbo Performance & Arts Group, at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, takes a surprisingly sombre approach to the story. Photo: Jonathan Wong

The earliest renderings of Mulan’s story are brief to the point of being cryptic but, over the centuries, the plot has been fleshed out by various authors; above all, the advent of films and television has led to a multitude of versions.