The Monkey King
Musical puppet play
Unmissable hero of Chinese popular culture, the White Monkey, Sun Wu Kong, king of the monkeys, is a disreputable character. Full of himself, whimsical and pretentious, he has nevertheless won the sympathy of all Chinese for centuries.
His arrogance pushes him to attack much harder than himself, his humor seduces the restive, his cunning arouses the admiration of all. He has a few reasons to be sure of himself: Buddha presides over his birth. He learns the art of Transfiguration in an instant, and even the King of the Oxes doesn't scare him. But the Monkey King is too ambitious: he wants to be Emperor instead of the Jade Emperor. Neither force nor cunning can calm him down. So, the Dragon King derails at the bottom of the oceans and the King of the Underworld is sent to hell. It will end badly (momentarily) for the White Monkey, but that's another story!
In the press
The world
“We follow the monkey in his incredible adventures. All the magic of the show lies in the precision of the handling of the hand puppets, which wear sumptuous moiré costumes and wield the saber as if they were alive. "
Telerama
“We are in full Chinese tradition with a precious castelet in camphor wood gilded with leaf. What a story indeed! The White Monkey must put out the fire on the mountain and he would need one of the three fans of the Princess who does not like him very much. So, he will cunning, transform, chi, get tricked, catch up, which gives a cavalcade of dazzling adventures, a real fireworks display. "
France Evening
“Whether you are passionate about ancient Chinese culture or not, don't miss this show. Manipulated by two virtuosos of art, this creation is a real little wonder. "
The Express
“Trained at the Taipei school, Jean-Luc Penso manipulates his hand puppets with rare dexterity. The children are jubilant. Parents are fascinated. "
The Parisian
“The White Monkey and the Dragon King: a joyous hullabaloo that delights the kids as amazed by this story as by the fabric and porcelain creatures, skillfully manipulated by Jean-Luc Penso. A delight. "
Zurban
“The White Monkey and the Dragon King is first and foremost a magical musical spectacle. The opportunity to discover the refined universe of Taiwanese puppets. An unforgettable experience, not to be missed. "
