Her media savvy, mercurial character and resilience in the face of adversity and condemnation have prompted comparisons between her and Taipan Chin. "I've never worked as a taxi dancer," she responded, "and while we've both had a number of romances in our lives, what woman hasn't?" The ability to balance a sharp tongue and an easy smile are something that she and her character certainly do share in common.
Liu, who prior to The Last Night of Taipan Chin worked mostly in cinema, has already made her mark with her stage debut. She commanded the stage for nearly the whole two-hour-plus show, during which time she acts, sings and performs a number of ballroom dance set pieces. This tour de force has somewhat overshadowed other members of the production team.
Xie Jin (謝晉), director and screenwriter for the celebrated film Hibiscus Town (芙蓉鎮, 1986), a bittersweet take on the Cultural Revolution, is artistic director for this production. Yu Chiuyu (余秋雨), the doyen of Chinese letters, has been brought in as the literary consultant, and Chen Gang (陳鋼), the composer of the hugely popular The Butterfly Lovers violin concerto (梁祝小提琴協奏曲), and whose father Chen Gexin (陳歌辛) composed a number of the golden oldies featured in the show, is behind the music. How effectively Liu can bring back the heady days when songs like When Will He Come Again? (何日君再來), In the Mood for Love (花樣年華) and Nighttime in Shanghai (夜上海) ruled the dance halls remains to be seen, but given the reviews from China and Singapore, Taiwanese audiences should be in for a treat.
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