Shen Yun reviews

Debating whether to see it but $80 is the cheapest Tix and don't really wanna see any propaganda...ish shows if i gotta shell this much money but it surely does look spectacular. I wouldn't mind adding it to my "repertoire" of theatrical experiences besides opera, symphony, and the various broadway musical genres. Seems like the commercial every year is the same but they added the live orch last 2 years ago and supposedly more energetic performances this year. Any Thoughts?

Updated On: 1/5/18 at 01:29 AM

No, don't waste your money. It's not worth it. I was unfortunate enough to fall for the commercials and endless posters and advertisements, and it was.... a bizarre and strange night.

About 1/3 of the performances consisted of women in colorful dresses with big sleeves swishing around in almost identical dances--visually pretty but nothing spectacular or interesting about them. If you've seen the commercials, then you've seen all there is to know about the dances. It's worth noting that the big colorful screen in the videos is quite pixelated and somewhat dingy in the actual show. Another 1/3 consisted of propaganda dance-performances talking about the suppression of the Falun Gong religion, including "comedic" skits where the Falun Gong practitioners triumph over the caricature Red Guards with the power of their religion, as well as "emotional" performances with beatings and arrests. The rest were a combination of some actually interesting performances using props (fans, drums, ribbons) and then 2 very... very... horrible "opera" performances, which were sung in Chinese with subtitles projected overhead. The lyrics included such gems as "Interracial marriage is against nature," "Atheism is the devil's tool," "Homosexuality will destroy the world." The show ended with a triumph of the formerly oppressed Falun Gong characters over the Red Guards, who saw the error of their ways and joined them, with the Falun Gong practitioners holding up a sign that said FALUN GONG IS THE ONLY TRUE RELIGION at the end.

Not worth $80 or even $20.

This is from 2014, but is VERY telling. (Echoes the propaganda that others have said above.) Don't waste your money!

http://irreverentpsychologist.blogspot.com/2014/03/shen-yun-first-time-i-left-performance.html

My dad spent nearly 200 dollars on tickets for this when it’s in Chicago and I wanted to slam my head in the door.

---

My mom almost bought us tickets one year and I told her to hold on while I did some research. So glad I did.

There are constant commercials depicting attendees ("attendees"?) shilling for the show on the Chinese news/entertainment cable channels that my parents watch on every commercial cycle. They must be flushed with cash.

One of the subway ads quotes Donna Karan, which should sell a ton of tickets after the Weinstein thing- not!

Wow!!! Thanks for saving me $80!!! A friend said she wouldn't watch it even if she gets paid to do it!

The programming and brainwashing is horrendous! I wonder if Amazing Grace is as horrible as it is Prince of Egypt on the other hand was good...just don't take it seriously

And actually considering going to Denmark.

Thnx for the great feedback

Dancingthrulife2
Lambchop2
Christoph
JudyDwnmark
Call_me_jorge
Sweetlips
Mpkie
Fordham2015

Maybe broadway or off broadway can spoof shenyun, scientology and other cults like bom

Something Rotten did a good job spoofing xtianity and the (spoiler)

Flamboyant priest was hilarious!!!