A new state-produced musical set in Xinjiang inspired by the Hollywood blockbuster “La La Land” has hit China’s cinemas, portraying a rural idyll of ethnic cohesion devoid of repression, mass surveillance and even the Islam of its majority Uyghur population.
The big question being who gets the Zero Mostel part?
Bia Lee Ztok and Lee Oh Bloom
I understand there is a character in the film, called Sum Ting Wong. After ‘re-education he changes his mind.
“name”, not “mind”. Bloody autocorrect.
“Springroll for Mao” would be a better title. Esp in view of his activities with what the Il Sung clan refer to as “joy divisions”.
If memory serves–didn’t the Chicoms once boast how Mao swam 100 miles of the Yellow River non-stop?
Here’s the plot: The rural idyll is in full swing as Lee Oh Bloom and fellow villagers await Mao’s visit. He is showing his virility by a non-stop swimming tour of all China and villagers know he is on his way to their village. Up the 1000s of miles of river and canal at a cracking pace. Stopping only for sewage to be skimmed off the water. Midst all their cheerful preparation they discover Sum Ting Wong is planning a protest about millions of murders of something. Lee Oh and the villagers disrupt his plans in fine comic style. With lots of old favourite tunes like “Put on your Sunday clothes when you are shot to shit” and” The Camps are alive with the sound of Screaming”. Sum Ting’s wicked plot is comically foiled and he is buried alive just as Mao arrives and the show ends with a massive Esther Williams aquatic routine.
Andrew Lloyd Webber is probably on the phone right this minute and already looking for West End venues with a water tank.