"It's a very inspiring story… You can regain your confidence after watching this."
"The first time I saw a complete scene performed in one take, it was amazing!"
"What I liked most was when the little mosquito jumped into the pond to find his clarinet and returned to perform. I felt he overcame his inner struggles and pursued his dream."
The Canadian live multi-media film production The Storyville Mosquito was performed twice earlier at the East Kowloon Cultural Centre. Using a "one-take" filming technique, the work combines miniature scenes, puppetry, and live music to tell the inspiring story of a young mosquito who leaves his hometown for the big city, determined to join a legendary jazz band and perform the clarinet in a prestigious concert hall, chasing his dream through trials and challenges.
Innovative "one-take" format: New experience every time
Agile puppets, a live band, and shifting lights and shadows… these elements come together seamlessly on stage, forming The Storyville Mosquito as "an attempt at cross-disciplinary art." Puppet designer Patrick Martel said that although the performance is primarily presented as a film, various media play a role. Everything the audience sees on screen happens somewhere on stage. "It's either happening with puppets, with hands, with cameras, or with music. Even editor Phil needs to edit live during the performance."
According to Patrick, this live format makes every performance brand new. The team makes slight adjustments to the film based on the audience's reactions. "If we feel the audience wants to laugh, we can be a bit funnier. If we feel it's an emotional audience, we will go more towards the emotional moments."
In fact, not only are many in the audience seeing this format for the first time, but the creative team also finds it a novel and challenging experience. "I have to follow the puppeteer's rhythm closely, capturing every subtle movement while syncing with the emotional shifts in the music. Any mistake is instantly visible on screen," said cinematographer AJ Korkidakis. David Campbell, the cellist, admitted that while every team member is highly experienced in their respective fields, this is their first time trying such a combination, requiring intense focus and precise collaboration during each creation.
Of course, Patrick revealed that over the long run of performances, unexpected situations are inevitable. "Sometimes a puppeteer will be a bit late." But in his view, this "danger" makes the performance more exciting to some extent. "Sometimes the audience might wonder, 'Is this going to work?' So they work with us to make it work."
Hong Kong elements as decoration, shadow puppetry as inspiration
Previously toured in the United States and several European countries, it is a tradition for the creative team to incorporate local elements into the work wherever they perform. This time in Hong Kong was no exception. Posters for Chinese New Year on the walls, blessings written in Chinese, and authentic recreations of Hong Kong cha chaan tengd all added a sense of familiarity for the local audience.
Patrick said, "These details were inspired by conversations with the theatre staff. We hope the audience will smile when they see them."
When discussing the deeper connection between the work and Chinese culture, Patrick noted that Chinese shadow puppetry also tells stories through intricately crafted puppets, which is one of the key inspirations for The Storyville Mosquito. He also expressed hope that the Hong Kong audience would enjoy this wonderful story through a format that feels familiar.
(Editor: Kelly Yang; Cameraman & Video Editor: Bernhard; English Editor: Darius)
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