Few artists have the enduring appeal of British playwright William Shakespeare. His vast body of work may have been written 400 years ago but it continues to resonate with audiences worldwide. And that includes Hong Kong.
To celebrate The Bard, the city is hosting the first Hong Kong International Shakespeare Festival (HKISF) where classics such as Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear have been reinterpreted to address contemporary issues such as gender relations and indigenous cultures.
And fans are in for a treat, with troupes from around the world – Hong Kong, Romania, Italy, South Korea, Britain and Australia – taking part. It will be a feast for the senses.
“Shakespeare can be compared to a chef in charge of exquisite dining banquets, offering perpetual nourishment and delight to his guests,” says HKISF artistic director Tang Shu-wing.
Shakespeare’s masterpieces, Tang adds, stay young and will always be remembered.
The programme includes Tang Shu-wing’s all-female, non-verbal stage version of King Lear (June 5 and 6) featuring an international cast from Hong Kong and Romania’s National Theatre Marin Sorescu.
On June 11 and 12, Italian director Alessandro Serra brings to the festival Macbettu, an all-male show performed in Sardinian, while Hamlet Avataar, blending South Korean clown performances and Indian music – it was the closing act at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics – takes to the stage on June 15 and 16.
Australian actor Brett Brown has wowed Shakespeare festival audiences in Europe with his one-man show, Henry V Man and Monarch, a bold adaptation by Philip Parr, director of the York International Shakespeare Festival.
Making its Hong Kong debut on June 5, 6 and 8, Henry V Man and Monarch takes a deep dive into the historical background of the original version to explore the different facets of Henry V at critical stages of his life.
HKISF early bird tickets are available until April 21 exclusively on Art-mate (art-mate.net). Public sales start from April 26 on URBTIX (urbtix.hk).