Theater steps out of the box

Performance art has long since moved out of conventional auditoria spaces and Hong Kong is no exception. Over 80 local and overseas artists are showcasing their art in parks and corridors of Taikoo Place - one of the busiest business complexes in the city.

Many of the shows are cross-disciplinary, merging video with live dancing and performance with fine dining.

The line-up of events features theater from the United Kingdom - Shakespeare's Twelfth Night told from the point of view of a puritanical steward in Tim Crouch's I, Malvolio. Lula del Ray combines shadow puppetry, live music and cinema. The stage show small metal objects, uses the city's pedestrian traffic as backdrop, reminding viewers of the things used in everyday life that most of us take for granted. Acrobat (A Dining Room Tale with David Chong) is an interactive show in which audiences get to share a communal meal, music and stories with the performer, all at the same time.

The highlight piece is On View Hong Kong, which combines dance with the moving image, displayed on giant digital boards. Conceptualized and directed by Australian choreographer and dance filmmaker Sue Healey, the show features 10 leading dancers from Hong Kong performing both on stage as well as on video, sometimes with a live animal for company.

(HK Edition 10/27/2017 page11)