HOUSE PROGRAMME 07.05.2021 | 9:15pm (Preview) 08–16.05.2021 | 7pm 08, 10–16.05.2021 | 9:15pm Site-wide, Tai Kwun
Curated by
Supported by
Hong Kong Arts Development Council fully supports freedom of artistic expression. The views and opinions expressed in this project do not represent the stand of the Council. CONTENTS
PRODUCER’S NOTE PLAYWRIGHT & DIRECTOR – YAN PAT TO PLAYWRIGHT & DIRECTOR’S NOTE SYNOPSIS CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM MEMBERS’ BIO TAI KWUN PRODUCTION TEAM ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS SURVEY HOUSE RULE PRODUCER’S NOTE
Since its opening in 2018, Tai Kwun has presented two Theatre Seasons and Dance Seasons, creating a new platform and fertile ground for performing arts in Hong Kong. With an aim to establishing in-depth and long-term collaborative relationships with local artists, they are offered the capacity and freedom to think and explore while developing full-length works with opportunities for re-runs. We are also privileged with Tai Kwun’s unique venues and outdoor spaces, which enables us to complement the offerings in Hong Kong’s performing arts scene: producing works that are small to medium in scale, non-conventional in nature, and with emphasis on audience engagement. The experiences and feedback over the past two years proved that we are in the right direction: “participation” being a key element in curating the best arts experience possible for the audience.
Entering the third year, the essence of the past Theatre Seasons and Dance Seasons will be merged into a multi- genre Performing Arts Season: SPOTLIGHT. True to the title, we will be putting the spotlight on Hong Kong, on Tai Kwun, and on local artists. While live performances had been halted for months, the artists proactively adapted to the new normal and reimagined their work in “On Stage Online”, Tai Kwun’s new initiative to encourage innovative use of the digital medium. Through this platform, they stay connected with the audience and collected valuable
CONTENTS feedbacks to enrich the work-in-progress. It is now time to present the fruition to public.
We look forward to you joining us this April and May, as we truly shine the spotlight on Hong Kong, to revel in the here and now of the arts with our exceptional performing arts programmes.
Eddy Zee Head of Performing Arts
CONTENTS PLAYWRIGHT & DIRECTOR PLAYWRIGHT & DIRECTOR
Playwright and Director Yan Pat To
Photo: Ted Kim
Active in Hong Kong and German Theatre. Playwright, Director, Educator. Artistic Director of Reframe Theatre. Lecturer (Dramaturgy) of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Elected Council Member and the Chairman of Literary Art of Hong Kong Arts Development Council. One of the hosts of Literature Night of RTHK TV talk show. Graduated from the University of Hong Kong, majoring in English Literature; the Chinese University of Hong Kong, MA in Sociology; Royal Holloway, University of London, MA in Playwriting (pass with distinction).
His play A Concise History of future China (the first part of Posthuman Journey) is selected by 2016 Berliner Festspiele Theatertreffen Stuckemart as one of the five theatre works presented. It is the first ethnic Chinese play ever selected and premiered in Hong Kong New Vision Festival 2016. The German Premiere was produced by The Staatsschauspiel Saarbrücken in 2021. Posthuman Condition (the second part of Posthuman Journey) is premiered at Schauspiel Frankfurt in 2021.
CONTENTS His other works include White blaze of the morning (a play in Cantonese) is awarded Best Play, the 8th Hong Kong Theatre Libre. Happily ever after nuclear explosion is commissioned by Munich Residenztheater and premiered in June 2018. This play is under the programme of World/Stage. He directed a Cantonese version and it was invited by Tai Kwun Theatre Season (HK), Asia Playwright Festival (South Korea) in 2019 and CINARS Biennale Official Programme (Canada) 2020.
His recent works include How to present the love life of Hong Kong people to Aliens (HK premiere, Taiwan’s tour version, Pandemic version), Flow of time and Stream of consciousness (Hong Kong Fringe Club, Immersive Theatre) and Goldfish of Berlin, etc.
PLAYWRIGHT & CONTENTS DIRECTOR’S NOTE PLAYWRIGHT & DIRECTOR’S NOTE
Love and Conditions
There was a catchphrase earlier that everyone loved to say they really love Hong Kong, then they would start talking about how good Hong Kong is.
I also love Hong Kong — In fact, a part of me inside is quite withdrawn, and it is too much for me to say that I love a place (I had goosebumps writing this sentence). I also dislike several things about Hong Kong: the cost of living is too high, the living condition for creation is difficult, and it is not easy to have an atmosphere of rational discussion (discuss with reason and logic)... But I do love Hong Kong, regardless of how good or bad she is. And I don’t need to analyse the reasons. This feeling is almost pure love.
It is the same when you love a person. When we choose whom to love or not to love, we are often affected by several external conditions: identity, status, age, race, gender, timing, and neglect that we just fall for that person unconditionally — though we are rarely willing to admit it.
Probably, this is the starting point for my creation of A Poem in Jail. (This is an abridged version of the director’s note. The full version will be uploaded to Reframe Theatre’s Facebook page one week after the last performance.)
Yan Pat To
CONTENTS SYNOPSIS SYNOPSIS
I’m not waiting for you.
In the 1980s, two women were imprisoned in Victoria Prison, where they experienced an unexpected romance. Their growing affections for each other were interrupted as one was released while the other wrote love poems of longing on her bed board. When released from prison, she discovered that her lover had already married. She suppressed her mishmash of feelings and started a family as well. Approaching 1997, she did not want to live in a bigger prison. The decision to immigrate prompted a final rendezvous and conversation in which deep feelings were cast aside but never forgotten. Inspired by a bed board with love poems found in a women’s prison, this groundbreaking immersive production, features artists Pat To Yan (theatre), Kingsley Ng (media installation) and Chow Yiu Fai (lyric Artist), will lead the audience to tread a path that explores Tai Kwun then and now.
CREATIVE AND CONTENTS PRODUCTION TEAM CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM
Playwright and Director | Yan Pat To^ Performers | Cecilia Chan, Ng Fung Ming, Sze Wei, Venus Cheung, Leung Tin Chak, Leung Ho Pong Project Curator | Felix Chan Media Installation | Kingsley Ng Lyric Artist | Chow Yiu Fai Dramaturg | Jass Leung Scenographer | Yuen Hon Wai Video Designer | Adrian Yeung Lighting Designer | Vanessa Lee Sound Designer | Kan Hei Chun Costume Designer | Hanison Lau Production Manager | Agnes Lee Stage Manager | Sunny Chu Deputy Stage Manager | Kathryn Lai Assistant Stage Managers | Tsai Sai Ying Mark-up Stylist | Betty Wan Stage Assistant | Chim Man Lung, Keung King Hang Video Designer | Chan Shing Yan Video Assistant | Fung Wai Ki Administration Coordinator | Tsoi Sin Yi, Sally Hui Curated by | Reframe Theatre and Felixism Creation
^ With the kind permission of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts
CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION CONTENTS TEAM MEMBERS’ BIO CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM
Performer Cecilia Chan
Ho Lim Chu
Graduated from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in 2012 (BFA(Hons), Major in Acting), Cecilia Chan received the award of Actor/Actress of the Year (2017) by International Association of Theatre Critics (HK) and Distinct Actress at the 10th Hong Kong Theatre Libre (Cecile in Quai Quest). She was also nominated for Best Actress in Leading Role (Evelyn in The Shape of Things) at the 6th Hong Kong Theatre Libre.
Recent performances include: The Plague by Hong Kong Arts Festival; The Unforgettable Chapter by Hong Kong Repertory Theatre; Ballads of Expulsion, Quai Ouest (Hong Kong and France tour), The Second Year of Jianfeng, The Attic, Electronic City (Hong Kong and Beijing Re-run), The Ugly One (Hong Kong and Macau Re-run) by On & On Theatre; Goldfish of Berlin, Stream of Consciousness by Reframe Theatre; The Histories and their Lovers by Reframe Theatre X Felixism Creation.
Chan was the founder of K.O.The Box. She works as a freelance actress and drama tutor.
CONTENTS CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM
Performer Ng Fung Ming
Lai Wai Ling, Mandy
Graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, majoring in Acting, Ng Fung Ming was nominated for Best Actress at the Hong Kong Drama Awards with Shall We Die and for Best Supporting Actress with Wit and Mother Courage in China. She was awarded Best Supporting Actress (Tragedy/Drama) for Unforgettable Era in 2018.
Recent productions include Waiting For The Match 2, First Date, and Dead Man’s Cell Phone.
CONTENTS CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM
Performer Sze Wei
Ho Lim Chu (young girl)
Sze Wei graduated from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in acting. When she was studying in HKAPA, she had performed in Who’s Afraid of Lord of the Flies, Lysistrata, Le Malentendu, La Ronde, Black Vast (Seoul Visit) and Semele. She received the Outstanding Actor Award with her role in Who’s Afraid of Lord of the Flies. She is currently a freelance actress. Her recent performances include See You Soon-The Call of the White Orchid, Let’s Hunt for a “Tiger” Tonight and All of Life I Shall Remember.
CONTENTS CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM
Performer Venus Cheung
Lai Wai Ling, Mandy (young girl)
Venus Cheung graduated from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in acting. When she was studying in HKAPA, she had performed in La Dispute, Lysistrata and Three Sisters. She received the Outstanding Actor Award with her role in Three Sisters. She is currently working as a freelance actress and lyricist. Her recent performances included Miu Miu Yan Ping (immersive theatre), A Dream Like A Dream by Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, Big Sister (short film) as well as Speak No More (short film).
CONTENTS CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM
Performer Leung Tin Chak
Wing Kok Kau Leung Tin Chak graduated from the School of Drama at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) and was awarded Outstanding Actor by HKAPA. During 2011 and 2012, he participated in the Patchwork Family Intercultural Project and toured to South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, Austria and Croatia for performances in local arts festivals. Since then, he has been active in overseas performances and working with artists from all over the world. In 2014, he was invited by Tokyo DA•M Theatre to perform in the dance show Walking2014.
Leung is also active in local productions. Some of his recent appearances include On & On Theatre Workshop Walking Dream in 1984 (re-stage), The Phenomenon of Man: Revolver 2021; Hong Kong Repertory Theatre A Dream Like A Dream; POP Theatre The Heart Sutra, and Heteroglossia Theatre Foreign Land. He also acts extensively in multimedia works, including K11 Art Foundation x Enoch Cheng The Garden, Yim Sui Fong solo exhibition A Room of Resistance; Rooftop Institute Hok Hok Zaap: 15 initiatives of Engaged Learning in Art. His recent appearances in film include Leap Day, Two Thumbs Up, Men on the Dragon, and Shock Wave 2.
CONTENTS CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM
Performer Leung Ho Pong
Kwok Chun Pong
Graduated from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (BFA(Hons), Major in Acting) in 2008, Leung was awarded Best Actor (Comedy) at Hong Kong Drama Awards in 2016. He was a nominee as Best Supporting Actor at Hong Kong Drama Awards in 2015 and Best Actor at Hong Kong Theatre Libre 2013.
CONTENTS CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM
Project Curator Felix Chan
Felix Chan, theatre curator, illustrator and art critic based in Hong Kong, Taiwan and London. Founder of FELIXISM CREATION, a company that produces creatively and culturally hybrid work of theatre, critical writing and illustration. He has obtained his Master in Creative & Cultural Entrepreneurship (Theatre & Performance Pathway) at Goldsmiths University of London in 2018- 19, supported by the scholarship from Hong Kong Arts Development Council (2017). He is a receiver of Award for Young Artist (Critic), Hong Kong Art Development Awards 2015 by Hong Kong Development Council. He is part of the jury panel of The Hong Kong Theatre Libre Award. His recent theatre curations (selected): Together, a digital immersive theatre by Factory Irregular (Prague Quadrennial 2019); Happily ever after nuclear explosion (2019), Goldfish of Berlin (2019) and A Concise History of Future (New Vision Arts Festival 2016) by Reframe Theatre; Stream of Consciousness (2018), an immersive theatre by Fringe Club; The Nether (2017) by Papika Studio; Between In and Out (2017) and Somewhere out
CONTENTS there (2016) by Möbius Strip Theatre; The sorrow of young Yat Sum (International Arts Carnival 2016) by Ricochet Ensemble and so on. www.felixism.com
CONTENTS CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM
Media Installation Kingsley Ng
Photograph courtesy of ArtAsiaPacific and the artist
Kingsley Ng is an inter-disciplinary artist and designer with a focus on conceptual and site-specific projects. He believes that art helps us to mediate our environment, whether as a viewer or participator. Past projects include Twenty-Five Minutes Older, a commission by Art Basel last year which takes the audience on a moving tram, and After the Deluge, presented earlier this year in an underground storm-water tank the size of 40 Olympic- sized swimming pools.
His works have been featured in notable exhibitions and international venues. Examples include the Museum of Contemporary Arts in Rome Italy, Contemporary Art Centre of South Australia, Guangzhou Triennial in China, Land Art Biennial in Mongolia, Echigo Tsumari Art Triennial in Japan, IRCAM – Centre Pompidou in France, Lille Europe Pavilion in Shanghai Expo, InterAccess Electronic Media Arts Centre in Canada, the Hong Kong Museum of Art, and Art Basel Hong Kong.
CONTENTS Ng has received postgraduate training at Le Fresnoy – National Studio of Contemporary Arts in France under the tutelage of renowned artists including Alain Fleischer, Andrea Cera, Atau Tanaka and Gary Hill, graduated with the highest honours (Les felicitation du jury à l’unanimité). He continued his studies with an MSc Sustainable Design degree from the University of Edinburgh in the UK and a BFA New Media Art degree from the Ryerson University in Canada. He is currently Assistant Professor of the Hong Kong Baptist University Academy of Visual Arts.
CONTENTS CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM
Lyric Artist Chow Yiu Fai
Photo: Franky Li
Received his PhD degree at the Amsterdam School of Communication Research, University of Amsterdam, Chow Yiu Fai is currently an Associate Professor at the Department of Humanities and Creative Writing of Hong Kong Baptist University. Chow’s research fields include gender and sexuality, creative practices and cultural studies at large. His monograph, titled Caring in Times of Precarity: A Study of Single Women Doing Creative Work in Shanghai, is published by Palgrave-Macmillan. His co-authored book Sonic Multiplicities: Hong Kong Pop and the Global Circulation of Sound and Image (Intellect) is also available in Chinese. Chow has published numerous articles in top-tier journals. Next to his academic work, Chow is also an award-winning writer. He released his first lyrics in 1989. Since then he has penned some 1,000 lyrical works for a diversity of pop artists in Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China. In addition to many lyrics awards, Chow’s prose work A Long, Long Farewell won the Recommendation Prize of the biennale Hong Kong Literary Awards (Essays). Lately, Chow has been increasingly involved in multi- media and visual art projects.
CONTENTS CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM
Dramaturg Jass Leung
A performing arts critic and researcher who is interested in alternative performing arts spaces. Leung has produced over 500 works that have been published in newspapers, magazines, journals and conference materials, ranging from theatre criticism to cultural criticism, and concerning Hong Kong theatre productions, visual art exhibitions, and new media projects. In 2015, Leung received Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York-Asian Cultural Council Fellowship Grants and conducted extensive research on alternative performing art spaces in New York. Some of her recent publications include Redness and Drama: A Preliminary Study of the School Festival (co-author, 2011), A Study of Post- 1997 Hong Kong Canto-pop Lyrics (co-author, 2011), and Words Field: Post-1997 Hong Kong Popular Music Lyrics Discourse (2016).
CONTENTS CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM
Scenographer Yeun Hon Wai
Graduated from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, majoring in Set and Costume Design, Yuen Hon Wai received Best Costume Design Award at the 13th Hong Kong Drama Awards with The Good Person of Szechwan. He has been focusing on designing for theatre and performing arts for more than a decade, having created about 100 set designs for arts performances including dance, dramas, musicals and concerts. Yuen is also a freelance theatre artist and theatre photographer. He has been engaged by theatre companies and publications to work on production still photos and promotional media. His photography works have been featured in Taiwan and Japan. He is also a theatre educator, part-time lecturer and an Artist-in-Residence (Design) at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. In 2010, his first photo book Black List was published with an exhibition paying tribute to theatre technicians in Hong Kong.
Yuen was nominated six times for Best Stage Effect at the Hong Kong Theatre Libre and once Best Stage Effect at the Hong Kong Dance Awards. In 2017, he received the Best Set Design award at the 26th Hong Kong Awards with The Golden Dragon. He also received Scenography of the Year at IATC (HK) Critics Award with On & On Theatre Workshop’s Tête-bêche in 2018 and Best Stage Design at Hong Kong Drama Awards 2020 with Eva.
CONTENTS CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM
Video Designer Adrian Yeung
One of Hong Kong’s most active independent multimedia designers and directors in the performing arts, Adrian Yeung was originally trained in computer engineering at the University of Hong Kong where he graduated in 1998.
Since 2010, Yeung started to direct his own theatre works, include The Nether (2017), Modern Times (2016), Landscape of Ozu (2015) and Antonioni Conjecture (2012).
He was awarded an ACC fellowship in 2014 to further develop his abilities in this regard while exploring cutting-edge advances in the field of new media in the U.S.
CONTENTS CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM
Lighting Designer Vanessa Lee
Graduated from The Hong Kong Academy for Preforming Arts with a bachelor degree in Lighting Design, Vanessa Lee has received the Electronic Theatre Controls Asia Lighting Scholarship and Robe Lighting Scholarship during her school years.
She was the lighting designer of Monkey King and the Skeleton Demon (touring production in Toronto) by Young Academy Cantonese Opera Troupe and Anh Ngoc Nguyen’s new work Eternity Formed by Fragments at Balletgala 2017 in Bermen, Germany.
Her recent works include Finding Wonderland by The Radiant Theatre, The Marriage of Figaro by Young Singers Summer Opera Festival, PTI Graduation Showing 2019 by Tang Shu-wing Theatre Studio, Beyond the Senses by Wuji Ensemble, I’m Black and White by Hong Kong Five Senses Education Experimental Theatre, Song of Grief by Cinematic theatre, Stream of Consciousness and Lingering in Time by The Fringe Club. Lee now works in theatre as a freelancer.
CONTENTS CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM
Sound Designer Kan Hei Chun
Kan Hei Chun is a freelance sound designer, artist and field recordist. Graduated from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre and Entertainment Arts, majoring in Sound System Design.
He has started his curatorial project - AK IN KK - Nature Field Recording HK (https://akinkk.com), a sound recording project featuring a sound map and sound library of Hong Kong’s nature, in bringing mountains and streams to the urban ears.
His recent participated productions include Jockey Club ifva Everywhere New Work Series Birds Sing Louder in the City, Touring Performance - Found Without Seeing, dance performance - Yin Yu Chun Fai; Little Smudges Theatre’s The Beauty of Dot; immersive theatre projects at the Fringe Club - Lingering in Time and Stream of Consciousness; HKAPA Academy Festival 2017: School of Dance Spring Performance and Ocean Park Halloween Fest (2014-2017). In 2019, he designed the sound for Dialogue in the Dark by Dialogue Experience.
CONTENTS CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM
Costume Designer Hanison Lau
Hanison Lau uses sculptural form to present his ideas; his 3-dimensional pieces speak some of his personal stories, presenting different visual elements with ready-made materials. He usually employs history and literature, especially adapted from Chinese culture as referential languages and properties to appropriate his works. He used sculpture and drawing to represent the poetic elements vested in contemporary visual art form, and his works demonstrate a strong record of personal action.
Lau has now been working as an independent artist and Lecturer at Hong Kong Baptist University. He received a bachelor degree of Arts (Fine Art) and a master degree in Fine art from the RMIT University in 2005 and 2007 respectively. He was selected as one of the highlighted artists by the Hong Kong Art Promotion Office for its ‘Artists in Neighbourhood scheme II 2008’. He took part in the artist-in-residence project in Portland, USA in 2008 and South Korea in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014. In the last few years, he has been exhibiting his works
CONTENTS extensively in USA, Australia, Paris, South Korea, the mainland China and Hong Kong. His various works has been collected locally and internationally.
He was awarded the Hong Kong Arts Development Awards 2016 - Award for Young Artist (Visual Arts).
CONTENTS CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM
Production Manager Agnes Lee
Graduated from Stage and Technical Management Department of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Agnes Lee has been working in stage management and commercial event management since graduation.
The companies she has worked with include Music Nation Group, Yam Kim Fai & Pak Suet Sin Charitable Foundation, CR2HK, Opera Hong Kong, Shakespeare4All Hong Kong, iStage, Theatre Space, Reframe Theatre, Le French May, Tang Shu-wing Theatre Studio, The Only stage.
CONTENTS CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM
Stage Manager Sunny Chu
Graduated from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (Major in Art, Event & Stage Management), Sunny Chu is currently a freelancer and mainly responsible for stage management.
Deputy Stage Manager Kathryn Lai
Kathryn Lai graduated from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, major in Arts, Event & Stage Management. Since graduation, Lai keeps working on a range of productions, mainly in stage management.
CONTENTS CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM
Assistant Stage Manager Tsai Sai Ying
Previous works include St. Augustine and Lion Rock ~ Musical by Augustine Drama Group, Black Opium by Melody Pole Studio, Door by Y-Space, The Legends of Mulan by Spring-Time Experimental Theatre Ltd and Stream of Consciousness by The Fringe Club.
CONTENTS TAI KWUN PRODUCTION TEAM TAI KWUN PRODUCTION TEAM
Artistic Director | Timothy Calnin Head of Performing Arts | Eddy Zee Producers | Frieda Ng, Mimi Lam, Grace Kwok, Phoebe Cheng Technical and Production | Juk Cheung, Mike Ho, Joel Ma, Shandy Leung, Juno Tam, Dang Hung, Irene Cheung, Bobby Lai, Myra Cheung, Terrence Choi Marketing and | Kitty Wong, Gillian Leung, Communications Michael Chiang, Chris Wong, Stephanie Mak, Esther Lui, Kit Cheung, Jessica Wong, Kevin Cheung, Matthew Lai, Kaitlyn Ip, Rachel Kung, Ching Lam
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND CONTENTS SURVEY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers ShowTex Times hair & workshop Dr. KAM Yip Lo, Lucetta (Hong Kong Baptist University) Ka1 (Facebook: hello.ka1) RULER Whishful Restaurant
SURVEY
We value your feedback. Please fill in this survey and share your thoughts about this performance with us.
SURVEY
CONTENTS HOUSE RULES HOUSE RULES
1 Approximately 1.5 hours without intermission
2 To avoid undue disturbance to the performers and other members of the audience, please switch off your mobile phones and any other sound and light emitting devices
3 Eating and drinking, as well as unauthorized photography, video and sound recording are strictly prohibited during the performance
4 Audience is required to walk around various locations. Please assess your physical condition if it is suitable for participation
ADMISSION DETAILS
1 Mask must be worn throughout the entire performance
2 Please follow the instructions of the staff and always keep social distancing
Thank you for your cooperation.
CONTENTS