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New Moon is nothing if not an international advertisement for the hungry virtues of virginity and young people can’t get enough of it
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
Theatre
A smart, prickly and rewarding view of sexual and emotional confusion
Cock
Restaurants
Kitchen W8 is a bargain for this area, if such sophistication is what you crave
Kitchen W8
Too long and drawn out but very entertaining with excellent special effects
This is a peculiar play and does not work for me. Some of it is very funny but there are real flaws
Alex has a strong powerful voice and was faultless, she is far better now than she was on the X-Factor
London,
Fiona Mountford's rating
Reader rating
Description: Blur singer Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett's 21st century-take on the ancient Chinese legend features a cast of Chinese circus acrobats, singers and martial artists performing in a specially designed theatre, Monkey's World.
Trains: Tube: North Greenwich, BR: Westcombe Park Railway Station 
, Tube / Bus: 108, 129, 161, 188, 422, 472, 486 
Phone: 0871220 0260
Website: www.theo2.co.uk
Email: customerservices@theo2.co.uk
Extra info: Telephones, Pub, Food, Air Conditioning
Mind-bending: dancers in Damon Albarn’s ambitious production fusing opera, circus and martial arts which has begun a residency in a special big top beside the O2
Monkey business: the dazzling opera
One could say that Damon Albarn has a thing about primates. The Blur front man created the virtual group Gorillaz and last year he teamed up with animation buddy Jamie Hewlett to premiere Monkey, a spectacular east-west fusion of opera, circus and martial arts. After an acclaimed run at the Royal Opera House, this intriguing, frustrating, Mandarin-language blend of classic Chinese text and Japanese manga comic takes up residence in a specially constructed big top beside the O2.
Unfortunately, there’s more confusion than Confucianism in the libretto by director Chen Shi-Zheng, which results in little emotional engagement with the work.
Those reading the overpriced programme will struggle to reconcile the synopsis with the stage action. The main thrust of the quest narrative, in which our not particularly furry hero accompanies the monk Tripitaka to India to retrieve some sacred Buddhist scrolls, only gets going in the fifth of nine scenes. Prior to this, Monkey unleashes his arrogance on an unsuspecting world: one minute he’s under the sea playing with what look like nuclear weapons, the next he’s at a Heavenly Peach Banquet, which is a kitsch riot of stripy leotards. Paradise turns out to be a place where lissom young ladies spin plates. Who knew?
All credit must go to Albarn for composing in a musical idiom so unlike his own; it’s just a shame that the score can’t occasionally change key from its innocuous ethereal waftiness into something more striking and memorable. Awkwardly positioned screens for surtitles don’t help either: the parents in front of me were stuck with reading the peculiar translations to their children. I didn’t envy them the likes of “carnal itch” and “erroneous womb”. Yet it’s as a spectacle pure and simple that the show almost enchants the 2,400 spectators in this too-large arena.
Delicious between-scenes animations from Hewlett give way to tableaux featuring 27 super-bendy performers from the Dalian Acrobatic Troupe, two martial arts specialists as well as nine main actors. There’s a couple of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon-worthy fight scenes, in which Cao Jiangtao’s appealingly cocksure, scampering Monkey participates with aplomb. More of this would have made Monkey’s journey to east London truly memorable.
Until 5 December (0844 856 0202). www.monkeyjourneytothewest.com
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
What a truly disappointing effort! It failed miserably to live up to expectations. Over priced & overrated - give it a miss. I can't believe all the superlatives afforded to this production, it was little more than a good amateur dramatics performance. The score by Damon Albarn was good but the pace of the acrobatics was too slow & clumsy, coupled with painfully slow scene changes, the experience was hard going.
Definitely a case of the 'Emperor's New Clothes'.
No stars from me.
- Suzanne, london
I took my 10 year old son, who thoroughly enjoyed this visual spectacle. He picked up the storyline and names of the main characters quickly. Both of us agreed that the subtitles were really not necessary and more action/fight scenes would have been better, as the pace was quite slow, although still very engaging. The acrobatics, contortionists, choreography, sets and costumes were outstanding. Gift shop items and the programme (at £10) were very pricey, but still, the T-shirts caught our eyes.
- Lorna, London
I dont agree with Fiona on this one - this is an extraordinary piece of 21st century theatre from the other side of the world. Visually enchanting, challenging and engaging; the fact that the producers have managed to transport this ambitious work to the 02 and bring it to a wider audience is a success in itself. Also, loved the merchandise - the program is sure to be a collector's item in a few year's time and I managed to do half my Christmas shopping at the merch stand - ace!
- Crisp., London
