HOUSE PROGRAMME 07.05.2021 | 9:15Pm (Preview) 08–16.05.2021 | 7Pm 08, 10–16.05.2021 | 9:15Pm Site-Wide, Tai Kwun
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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.