You might be familiar with the animated Disney version of Mulan’s story, but what if she was given a chance to rewrite the ending?
Based on the traditional tale of Hua Mulan, who took her ailing father’s place in the army by disguising herself as a man, this vibrant retelling from Shenzhen Senior High School. They question the original ending and, inspired by their own interpretation of Mulan’s spirit, perform three alternative scenarios: Mulan returns home to get married, goes to war, and sets up a school.
Through a mix of songs, wuxia martial arts moves and traditional Chinese wedding customs, Mulan’s choices are brought to life vividly. The kids in the audience enjoyed ‘doctor’ Mulan uncracking the soldiers’ stiff joints and selling a huge merchandise range like a modern influencer. There’s also a chance to learn some new skills; Mulan taught some audience members sword skills, and we even got lucky red envelopes for practising some Mandarin well-wishes!
At times it was hard to see the subtitles on the screen behind, but the show’s message was clear: there are many choices in life, but there’s no perfect path and one should choose without regrets. Mulan’s Heart is a fun subversion of a classic story that will hopefully come back for a longer run.
****
Mulan’s Heart is at Greenside George Street from 3-4 Aug.