Journey to the West takes spectacular trip to Australia

Acrobatics, songs, puppetry and martial arts combine to spectacular effect in the Australian version of Monkey ... Journey to the West, which will be staged at the Sydney Opera House next month.

Created by Kim Carpenter and co-directed by John Bell, one of Australia's most celebrated theater figures, the ancient Chinese fable has been given an Australian touch.

The production, which features live music, projections and giant puppets that fill the stage, had a sold-out premiere at last year's Brisbane Festival.

Carpenter said on Friday that the Chinese sense of humor in Journey to the West relates well to Australians.

"The Australian sense of humor is similar to the Chinese. ... There is an irreverence and that is why this production has been a hit with local people," he said.

"But we have also seen Chinese in our audience. We had Chinese Buddhist monks in the audience, and other Chinese who said they saw the poster outside the venue and wanted to see the Australian production of a story they knew very well."

Chinese audiences found it interesting to see the story played by Australians. Asian-Australian actor Aljin Abella plays the iconic Monkey, while Australian performer Darren Gilshenan plays the rambunctious Pigsy.

The traditional story has a huge following in China, but it is also well known in Australia, thanks to the Japanese TV show Monkey Magic that was a big hit in the early 1980s.

Carpenter, celebrated Australian playwright Donna Abela and composer Peter Kennard have adapted the stories from the 16th-century Chinese novel into a magical, action-packed adventure story for the stage.

"The legend of Monkey, as he is commonly known in Western cultures, has retained its relevance through centuries of retelling with themes that resonate today," Carpenter said.

Jonathan Bielski, Sydney Opera House's director of programming, believes the production is a must-see for Australian fans and that it will also attract many Chinese living in Sydney.

"Anyone who loved Monkey Magic will delight in learning the origins of this ancient fable and seeing their favorite characters brought to life with meaning and a good dose of humor," Bielski said.

The show will be staged at the Sydney Opera House from April 4 to 19.