In all, i was really pleased with the guaranteed-no-shopping-stop tour package offered by Chan Brothers in my recent trip to Guilin although there was just a very minor grouch; the compulsory additional tours!
Catching the Mirage Guilin show at Guilin's Lijiang Theatre was part of it and i was honestly not expecting much after the disappointing show at Yangshuo's Impression Liu Sanjie.
Street vendors touting little cute cultural mementos at the entrance and you may buy them back as souvenirs; prices can be quite reasonable, especially if you love to haggle!
A familiar sight greeted me when i entered the performance hall.
The highly energised bidding for traditional Chinese calligraphy artwork. Frankly, it heavily depends on the emcee's flair for talking and some can easily convince others that the piece was so rare; you can earn back a healthy profit few years down the road.
Information on the ticket - seat number, date, time and most importantly, the notice for the audience. What caught me by surprise was item 4: the prohibition of videotaking and phototaking during the show; literally half the audience was doing either one of them!
Start of the show - using stunning images as backdrops with special effects, i am actually not in support of adopting technology to enhance the audience experience; for that, i would prefer to catch a 3D movie.
Live singing is always welcome and given the acoustics of the surrounding, the voice came out clear, strong and loud; latter of which was lack in Impression Liu Sanjie.
Dance segment which resulted in quite a commotion among the audience after a while when the lighting got brighter.
Many were whispering with each other and even the tour mate seated next to me couldn't help asking me the question "they are men, aren't they?" And yes, i think so!
Subtitles, in Chinese and English, were published on the screen at each side of the stage. The Lau sisters would likely comment on the poor translation though. Hahah.
Acrobats who always drew the loudest applause! Sometimes, it's not a matter of whether you have seen the same stunt before; rather, the applause was granted purely because most, if not all of us, could not attempt it.
A show is, nevertheless, still a show and i noted that the musical instruments had no strings!
More pictures with blocking heads for your viewing pleasure; the resolution was low given my likely early onset of Parkinson disease and my lackluster photography skill!
There were a few moments that i got really bored as the story doesn't flow smoothly. Coupled that with my sharp butt and you can just imagine my frustration!
It's the singing of folk songs that always perked me up!
Last item of the show came in the form of a gated sphere; now, i guess some of you would have a rough idea of the activity, especially those who had attended acrobatic performances in Genting Highlands!
Watch the video to confirm your suspicion!
It was a few minutes of high-suspense with the audience gasping whenever there's a near-miss! Those who have been complaining on the driving skill of the fairer sex might want to note that the most "garang" motorist in the performance was female!
Concluding 'speech' to end the show!
And of course, the final congregation of performers, including the lady boys! Phototaking with the cast was allowed but literally everyone was in a hurry to exit! I honestly felt sorry for the cast although i had a valid reason; it's time for dinner.
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Location
Near Sheraton Hotel,
Guilin City, Guangxi Province,
China
For the itinerary of my tour package (guaranteed no shopping stops) to Guilin via Chan Brothers, please check out the link here.