If you are a true fan of Chinese movies, you laugh at the Jackie Chans, try to imitate Bruce Lee and admire Jet Li. But if you’re extremely wack, you find yourself quoting famous phrases from Bruce Leroy.
Modeling troupe Couture Productions performed its final show this year April 22 at Harrison Auditorium, “The Art Of War.”
The first scene, “Sun Tzu,” consisted of the ladies gracefully walking up and down the stage with parasol umbrellas, kimono dresses and bright makeup. The beautiful yin-and-yang firewater backdrop helped you enter a little bit of Couture’s Chinatown.
All of a sudden two ninjas performed the ultimate face-off as Linkin Park played in the background. While they tried to settle their vendetta, you couldn’t help but notice their black suits, Chinese star weapons and great fighting techniques. The men made you feel as if you were watching an authentic Chinese film.
The intermission show took everyone by surprise with footage from the blockbuster movie “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.” The show didn’t lose its focus, even with a fire alarm distraction before the second scene.
The next scene introduced you to the hot and steamy land of the Amazon. It was definitely getting hot in here when the men walked off shirtless with nothing but straw bottoms. The women performed with their tribal clothing to rap artist Jay Z’s “Excuse Me Miss.”
The third scene may have touched a couple of hearts in the crowd. “The Regime” featured Couture Productions’ own version of a patriotic flag. Soldiers marched in black and blue colored army fatigues to rap artist Bone Thugs N Harmony and Tupac’s “Thug Luv.”
Couture really proved that a finale is supposed to grab all of your attention. The lights cut off and all you could see was a large wire fence consuming the stage. The backdrop was a black sky with scrambled clouds. The bottom of the floor was filled with purple neon lights and Couture’s secret agents. The male models paced back and forth as the audio played scenes from “The Matrix.” The closing had you saying “What The” when the president himself, Patrick Lynch, grabbed hold of a bar on stage and rose to the ceiling.
“Being though, this was the last show in Harrison, we wanted to pull out all of the stops with ninjas, staging and me coming down from the ceiling,” said Lynch.
Couture showed a great deal of class by representing all types of war despite our current issues with Iraq.
“We thought of the idea before January,” said Lynch. “When we got back it was almost destined to do this show.”
Much respect is due to Couture for creating one of the best shows I’ve seen all year.
- Review by Trina Logan