Wham! 10 Days in China review - a fascinating insight into how one of pop's greatest PR coups bridged two worlds
Wham! 10 Days in China tells the story of how the band decided to become the first Western pop act to perform in communist China to break into America, only to create a far bigger cultural moment that saw the Asian country open up to the West.
Most British bands of the 1980s followed a similar route to break America. Culture Club wowed audiences with their flamboyant style and catchy hits. Duran Duran conquered through MTV. Eurythmics won over the States with relentless touring and promotion. But Wham! pulled off one of music's greatest PR coups by becoming the first Western pop act to perform in communist China.
The April 1985 trip dominated headlines around the world and shot George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley to a new level of global stardom. But their co-manager Simon Napier-Bell's carefully choreographed plan was far from smooth sailing.
Wham! 10 Days in China features never-before-seen footage from filmmaker Lindsay Anderson's scrapped and shelved documentary, shot during the visit, which clearly captured George and Andrew's struggle to balance their groundbreaking performances at Workers' Stadium in Beijing and Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Guangzhou with the demands of diplomatic obligations and press attention.
The footage also reveals their heartbreak over the country's strict cultural protocols, especially at the Beijing gig where the audience were reserved with their reactions and expected to remain seated. However, Wham! received an enthusiastic response during their second concert in Guangzhou, where access to Hong Kong radio meant many locals had already been exposed to Western culture and music.
Director Mike Christie let the archive footage do the talking throughout the 90-minute documentary. Although interviews with Andrew, Simon, BANG Showbiz's owner and former Daily Star entertainment editor Rick Sky, and others involved with the trip provided commentary from different perspectives, it was the archive footage that truly immersed viewers in the chaos of the communist China visit, making them feel as though they witnessed the historic moment unfold alongside the band.
The film is neatly placed within the wider context of communist China opening a window to the West. Archive footage showed two residents listening in awe to Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go on a boombox in a shop as curious shoppers looked on. Others admitted that while they "can't really understand what the lyrics mean", they thought the song was "not bad" and wanted a copy. This moment perfectly highlighted how unfamiliar, yet exciting, Western music was to many Chinese citizens at the time.
Christie effectively weaves together a range of voices from those who were on the trip, giving viewers a rounded understanding of how Wham!'s 10 Days in China unfolded through the perspectives of Andrew, Simon, Rick, and others. However, it was hearing from some of China's musicians - including pop star Cheng Fangyuan, musician and producer Wang Di, and DJ Paul - about the lasting impression Wham! left on them and their fellow citizens long after the band returned home that was particularly poignant.
The documentary spends a lot of time covering the negative parts of the press coverage, highlighting how the journalists were ever present and competing with each other to get stories. Noting the media buzz around the event occasionally overshadowed the significance of the band being the first Western pop act to perform in communist China.
Ultimately, Wham! 10 Days in China reveals that Simon's PR coup created something much bigger than helping the band break into America. It triggered the start of communist China opening up to the West, highlighting the power music can have in bringing about change around the world.
