Mini-review by Raven Snook
This would-be “kung fu musical” is a ludicrously awful dud assembled by a coterie of international artists who seem to have collaborated via Google Translate. The leads can’t sing, the fights are lackluster, and the highly touted aerial sequences are done in slo-mo, so the only danger is that you’ll fall asleep. The brainchild of Chen Shi-Zheng, who was also behind the 2013 interdisciplinary schlock fest Monkey: Journey to the West, Dragon Spring Phoenix Rise is the second theatrical offering from the Shed, the new multimillion-dollar performance venue in Hudson Yards, and it's a perfect complement to its neighborhood: a soulless cash grab. With its gorgeous space and generous budget, the Shed should be delivering knockouts, not knuckleheaded nonsense like this.
The Shed (Off Broadway). Book by Jon Aibel and Glenn Berger. Songs by Sia and The Haxan Cloak. Directed by Chen Shi-Zheng. With ensemble cast. Running time: 1hr 45mins. One intermission.
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