Hong Kong International Shakespeare Festival

EVENT DESCRIPTION

The Hong Kong International Shakespeare Festival (HKISF), organized by the Tang Shu-wing Theatre Studio, co- organized with West Kowloon Cultural District as strategic and venue partner, and supported by the HKSAR Arts Capacity Development Funding Scheme, will be held from June 5th to 16th, 2024, at the West Kowloon Cultural District Freespace.

Debuting in Hong Kong this year, the HKISF brings the renowned European Shakespeare Festivals to Asia, offering a sensational new experience to local audiences. With promoting international cultural exchange as the objective, the Festival showcases performances by troupes from all around the world, including artists based in Hong Kong, Romania, Italy, South Korea, UK and Australia. Collaborative programmes constitute the core of the Festival, with exciting collaborations in various areas. These include having Hong Kong directors and overseas actors in the same performances, partnership between Hong Kong and overseas troupes, and artistic collaborations across various regions. The HKISF presents five theatre productions in Freespace within two weeks and one associate programme, which include: 

·         “King Lear”: Tang Shu-wing’s all-female nonverbal stage version of “King Lear” features an international cast from Hong Kong and Romania’s National Theatre Marin Sorescu, Craiova. It is a highly anticipated masterpiece.

·         “Lady Macbeth”: A cultural collision between Hong Kong Dance Company and Italy’s imPerfect Dancers Company, created by Walter Matteini, staged by Huang Lei (deputy chorographer) and performed by principal dancers Hua Chi-yu and Ong Tze-shen.

·         “Macbettu”: A masterpiece by the talented Italian director Alessandro Serra, creating a sensory impact with an all-male show charged with frenetic physical energy performed in Sardinian.

·         “Hamlet_Avataar”: Once staged at the 2018 Korean PyeongChang Cultural Olympiad, it subverts imagination through a mixture of Korean clown performances and Indian music.

·         “Henry V Man and Monarch”: A bold adaptation by Philip Parr, the director of the York International Shakespeare Festival, and staged by Austrialian actor Brett Brown. It overwhelmed audiences during its tour of seven Shakespeare Festivals in Europe.

·         The opera “Roméo et Juliette” by Opera Hong Kong, will take place in mid-May.

Shakespeare’s influence knows no bounds. His insights into human nature and exploration of existentialism have defined the archetype of a genius dramatist. HKISF offers innovative interpretations of Shakespeare’s classics to address various contemporary issues, ranging from gender relations, verbal to nonverbal communication to indigenous and international cultures. Since the establishment of European Shakespeare Festivals Network in 2010, Shakespeare Festivals have been held in over 11 countries, playing a leading role in the international theatre scene. Hong Kong’s Shakespearean theatre productions maintain an active presence worldwide. The Tang Shu-wing Theatre Studio participated in the 2012 World Shakespeare Festival and also organized the “Hong Kong International Shakespeare Performance Exchange” in 2022.