Millenial history relives onstage through this lavish production depicting the folklore and myths of Mongolian culture. Guillermo Nazara shares his views on the show, to share all the details about this epic tale of love and betrayal.
“A leader is one who sees more than others see, who sees farther than others see and who sees before others see”. Nothing else weaves the fabric of a nation stronger than its spirit of guardianship. For over a thousand years, the history of Mongolia has been defined by the essence of those who have proved themselves worthy of its guidance – from the nomadic tribes that first settled in the land to achieving official sovereignity at the turn of the last century. A long time that’s however made little difference when it comes to its soul – still fueled by the fiery mixture of pride and wisdom that started its millennial lineage.
The epic force of Mongolian lore rampages on the London stage through The Mongol Khan. A visually ambitious montage depicting the country’s folklore through a legendary saga of love, betrayal and resilience, the show tells the vivid story of a king seeking to secure his bloodline on the throne. But someone else has other plans to make his own kind rise above… As the seeds of mistrust begin to bloom over the years, a clashing battle between good and evil will unravel – when only he who truly deserves the crown can survive.
Immersing us into their folklore through a fully Mongolian cast and creative team, the show succeeds at enhancing the allure and mystique of their culture through an opulent, operatic rendition – featuring over 70 performers, apart from a whole display of traditional Asian techniques that boost the patriotic flavour of its nature. With a poetically crafted choreography that lingers between the spectacularity of its mythos and the sublety of their characters’ introspection, the piece triumphs as an engaging and visibly compelling display of sensorial enticement, but fails at balancing the rest of its elements just as evenly to make of the experience a more fulfilling journey.
With a bit of slow start, where too much exposition is provided for the motivations but little action is set in motion, the narrative finally manages to take off as the conflict unwinds, but struggles to bring up any satisfying ending other than a rushed, and rather vague finale. In addition, the intimacy that some of the scenes require is hardly noted – usually filling the space with too many components (often, the ensemble) which, despite being designed to heighten its psychology, tend to both distract and erase part of its insightfulness.
Nonetheless, that doesn’t prevent the montage from being entertaining and, all in all, quite an enjoyable sojourn – carrying out an evocative and beautifully put together mélange of lavishness and, above all, passion for what the production stands for: a celebration of their heritage and the values it encapsulates. Relying on a riveting set design (whose only flaw is its completely unnecessary screen on the background) and a more than competent company (portraying their parts with such excellency that travels beyond the language barriers), The Mongol Khan is a spinning wheel of sumptuousness that’s yet to unleash its full grandeur. Better crafted storytelling and a few tweaks in its production (a live orchestra is crucial for any show of this caliber) will ensure a more polished outcome for what already is a much promising piece – and mark the turning point from what’s now a show about a leader to what can be a leading show.
All pictures credit to Katja Ogrin.
The Mongol Khan plays at the London Coliseum until 2 December. Tickets are available on the following link.