Act 1 - The Crossroads Inn (40min)
The Crossroad Inn, a short martial arts play, is famous for its humour and elaborate ‘fight in the dark’ scene. The expert mime and martial art skills will amaze and delight the audience as two amusing characters attempt to find and fight each other in the dark on a stage bathed in light.
Act 2 – The Monkey King and the Leopard (50min)
This is a mythical folklore story of the legendary Monkey King and his buddies who seek justice for the villagers who are being bullied by the Evil Leopard Spirit. The story, underpinned by the traditional Chinese value of ‘Praising the Virtue and Punishing the Vice’, highlights the stunning acrobatic skills as the Monkey King and his friends battle the wicked Leopard Spirit.
How to get to Sadler's Wells Theatre
Rosebery Avenue, London, EC1R 4TN
By Bus
Numbers 19, 38 and 341 travel from the West End to the theatre's own bus stop. Many buses travel from Waterloo, Liverpool Street, Euston and Kings Cross stations to the Angel.
By Tube
Angel (Northern Line City Branch) is a 250-metre walk from Sadler's Wells. Trains run every few minutes northbound to Kings Cross and Euston, and southbound to Bank and London Bridge. For up to date Tube information or to plan your journey, visit Journey Planner.
By Bike
There are plenty of bike racks outside and opposite the theatre. There are several Cycle Hire stations within 5 minutes walk.
By Car
There are no turns into St. John St from Pentonville, City and Goswell Roads. The easiest route is from Pentonville Road into the west side of Claremont Square and down Amwell Street.
Route planner
The Story...
The Crossroads Inn
The Crossroads Inn, a short martial arts play, is famous for its humour and elaborate ‘fight in the dark’ scene showcasing some of the spectacular skills in Peking Opera. The expert mime and martial art skills will amaze and amuse the audience as two characters attempt to find and fight each other in the dark.
Jiao Zan, the great General of Song Dynasty, was falsely framed by a traitor minister and exiled from the capital city. On the journey of exile, Jiao and two other banished officers decided to rest overnight in the Crossroads Inn owned by Liu Lihua. Secretly following Jiao and his companions was the trusted and loyal Ren Tanghui who wanted to protect Jiao from danger. He also rested overnight in the Crossroads Inn. The Inn owner, Liu Lihua was a fair and upstanding citizen, but he misunderstood Ren’s motives and assumed him to be an enemy with intentions of murdering Jiao. Consequently, the two righteous heroes fought in the dark. When Jiao heard the noise, he went to investigate and eventually the misunderstanding between the two righteous fighters was discovered.
The Story...
The Monkey King and The Leopard
This is a mythical folklore of the legendary Monkey King’s seeking justice for the villagers, tormented by the Evil Leopard Spirit, a story underpinned by the traditional Chinese value of ‘Praising the Virtue and Punishing the Vice’.
As part of the Monkey King series, this production focuses on the rivalry between Monkey King and the evil Leopard Spirit. The story begins with the Leopard Spirit, a tyrant at the Hongmei Mountain, threatening to kidnap and marry the young daughter of Deng Hong, a local aristocratic. The Monkey King and his pals: Pigsy, Sandy Monk, Master Tang Seng and White-Dragon Horse happen to pass through the village. When they hear of Deng and his daughter’s plight, they decide to help.
Monkey King and Pigsy magically transform themselves into the shapes and looks of Deng’s daughter and her maid, waiting for the Leopard Spirit in hope of capturing him. Upon his arrival, a big fight ensues. However, the Leopard manages to escape after losing the battle.
Angered by the deception, the Leopard is determined to seek revenge and sets a trap for the Monkey King. The Monkey King foresees the Leopard’s plan and goes to the Heavenly Guards for backup. The fight soon escalates into a spectacular battle leading to the triumph of the Monkey King and the defeat of the Leopard.
This glorious Peking Opera Masterpiece has gained its worldwide reputation for the wicked sense of humour, the spellbinding acrobatics and the dramatic characters.
