THE real story behind the legendary Chinese warrior that inspired the Disney film Mulan will be told on stage in Barnard Castle early next month.
The Ballad of Mulan tells the story of the woman fighter who disguised herself as a man and survived without discovery for ten years.
The story is told by actor and producer Michelle Yim, of Red Dragon Productions and comes to The Witham on Saturday, February 5, for a matinee performance.
Yorkshire-born Ms Yim said: “Don’t expect a fluffy Disney tale here, this Mulan is a warrior, a fighter, a woman who survived in a very male world for ten years without discovery.
“There is no perfect make-up, no singing animals, just a gritty story of a soldier.”
Ms Yim said it had been a difficult two years for live performance after the pandemic initially left Red Dragonfly Productions stranded in Australia mid-tour.
“We’ve all tried to adapt and survive. But the connection with and the atmosphere of the audience in a live setting is totally different from a digital set up, so we are very excited and grateful to be performing in front of a live audience again.”
The Ballad of Mulan has been written for the stage by Ross Ericson.
He has returned to the original text, a 6th century Chinese poem, and tried to fill in the gaps to explore the true identity of one of the most revered women in China.
The hour-long show will take to the stage at 2.30pm.
Tickets are £14 and £12. For more details and to book, call The Witham box office on 01833 631107 or go to www.thwitham.org.uk.
