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ARTS evelyn.lok@hkmagmedia.com
Stage
Edited by Evelyn Lok
Need to Know
Theater & Arts
Urbtix (credit cards) 2111-5999
Urbtix (enquiries) 2734-9009
HK Ticketing 3128-8288
HK Arts Centre 2582-0200
Fringe Club 2521-7251
HK Cultural Centre 2734-2009
Musical
HK City Hall 2921-2840
HK Academy for Performing Arts 2584-8500
Kwai Tsing Theatre 2408-0128
LCSD Music Programme Office 2268-7321
LCSD Dance/Multi-Arts Office 2268-7323
LCSD Theatre Office 2268-7323
Dream Illusion Bubble Shadow
Hong Kong experimental theater Zuni Icosahedron’s new season kicks off with some good ol’ dance
theater, a crossover project that loops in 10 different groups including Dance Forum Taipei and cultural
mover-and-shaker Mathias Woo, as well as artists from Hong Kong and Tokyo. It’ll be a multimedia
performance that draws on the Buddhist Diamond Sutra: expect illusions, explosions and, apparently,
the “negating” sound of guqin and guitar. Sep 19-20, 8:15pm; Sep 21, 3pm. Grand Theatre, Cultural
Centre, 10 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui. $140-1,000 from www.urbtix.hk.
ComedyHK Presents: Graham Elwood
Fresh from wrapping up his latest documentary
“Earbuds,” about the connections between
podcasters and fans, Graham Elwood embarks
on his Asia debut at ComedyHK. Aside from
making people laugh, entertaining and raising
money for US troops in Afghanistan, making
movies about medical marijuana, and enjoying
his second-degree yellow belt in Karate, Elwood
has also appeared on the Sarah Silverman Show
and continues to co-host his podcast, “Comedy
Film Nerds.” Aug 25, 8:30pm. Dada Bar + Lounge,
2/F, The Luxe Manor, 39 Kimberley Rd., Tsim
Sha Tsui, 3763-8778; Aug 26, 8:30pm. Salon de
Ning, B/F, The Peninsula Hong Kong, Salisbury
Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2696-6705. Aug 30, 7:30pm;
10pm. Backstage Live, 1/F, Somptueux Central,
52-54 Wellington St., Central, 2167-8985. $250
from www.ticketflap.com.
Phantom of the Opera
Arguably Andrew Lloyd Webber’s best musical,
“The Phantom of the Opera” comes to Hong
Kong this Christmas, and it’s bigger and better
than ever. In fact, a 4,000-seater theater space
is being built specifically for it at AsiaWorld
Expo, complete with a multi-camera live shoot
which will be projected on giant screens—all
the better for you to see Christine’s pores. The
Phantom will be played by Broadway star Brad
Little, accompanied by an international cast of
37 actors. Tickets will go quick, so hurry!
Dec 21-Jan 4 2015. AsiaWorld-Arena, Sky Plaza
Rd., Chek Lap Kok, 3606-8828. $295-1,195 from
www.hkticketing.com.
Theater
Dance
Grand Dance Drama: the Legend of the
Condor Heroes
Jing Yong’s renowned wuxia novel takes to the
stage this month. This dance drama is backed
by a team of masters: it’s choreographed by
Leung Kwok-shing, who’s known for translating
martial arts novels into dance. Starring roles
go to “House of Flying Daggers” choreographer
Wang Yabin, and Liu Fuyang, the director of
Zhejiang Song and Dance Theatre. Add to that
a host of professional dancers from the Hubei
Performance and Arts Group, and you’ve got
one heck of a show. Aug 30-31, 3pm; Aug 30,
7:45pm. Lyric Theatre, Academy for Performing
Arts, 1 Gloucester Rd., Wan Chai, 2584-8500.
$140-480 from www.hkticketing.com.
Classical
Ted Lo and Nate Wong II
This jazz duo is no stranger to the Fringe Club
stage, and they’re back for an encore after their
sold-out performance last April. On the keys is
Ted Lo, the master of Hong Kong’s jazz and pop
music scenes, accompanied by fellow Berklee
alum and the city’s newest young star, Nate
Wong on the drums—you might have seen him
show off his skills at Peel Fresco. Together with
top jazz bassist Scott Dodd, they’ll be playing
some standards, some Latin tunes, and their
own original compositions. Aug 22, 10pm. Fringe
Club, 2 Lower Albert Rd., Central, 2525-1032.
$180 in advance; $200 on the day, both include
one drink.
Michael Collins Plays Mozart
Virtuoso clarinetist Michael Collins plays
Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A, one of the great
composer’s final works. He’ll also be showing
off his conducting talent as well, directing the
HK Sinfonietta in the overture to “The Marriage
of Figaro.” Want to get up close and personal?
On September 11, Collins is holding a more
intimate concert in which the audience will be
seated on stage. He’ll be performing Beethoven
and sharing his musical insights. Sep 11, 7:30pm;
Sep 13, 8pm. Concert Hall, City Hall, 5 Edinburgh
Place, Central. $140-320 from www.urbtix.hk.
Andy McKee Guitar Concert
Acoustic guitarist Andy McKee made it
huge overnight on YouTube: his distinctive
fretboard-tapping style got his videos over 50
million views, and at one point he held the
number one, two, and three top-ranked spots
on the site—impressive, if you think about all
those teen makeup gurus and cat videos he
had to compete with. He has released nine
albums and EPs since 2001, including this year’s
“Mythmaker.” Check out his concert. Believe it
or not, it might even be better than the internet.
Nahhhh. Aug 17, 7:30pm. Drama Theatre,
Academy for Performing Arts, 1 Gloucester Rd.,
Wan Chai. $300-550 from www.hkticketing.com.
8th Hong Kong International
Comedy Festival
September’s going to be one funny month, as
the annual International Comedy Festival returns
to Hong Kong for its eighth year. It brings with
it a packed program of international pros, local
favorites, as well as three nights of preliminary
rounds of the HK International English Comedy
Competition (Sep 25-27). It all culminates in the
finals held at KITEC, where you’ll see the best
of this year’s comedy gold. South Africa’s top
comedian Barry Hilton (Sep 4-7) kicks off the
month, followed by shows by other big names
each weekend: ventriloquist Michael Harrison
(Sep 18-21) and Tom Cotter (Oct 2-3). Watch
out as well for New York’s ACME Comedy Club,
which is bringing three world-class comedians
to tour in Hong Kong: Pete Lee, Tom Segura and
Chad Daniels. Head to the website for more
details. Sep 4-Oct 5. TakeOut Comedy, B/F, 34
Elgin St., Central, 6220-4436. $150-250 from www.
takeoutcomedy.com; Finals tickets from www.
hkticketing.com. www.hkcomedyfestival.com.
Arts Festival
Telema: Awaken the Dream
In commemoration of Martin Luther King’s
famous speech (51 years ago on Aug 28, FYI),
refugee support NGO, the Vine Community
Services, has put together this production to
celebrate and raise awareness of the struggles
of asylum seekers from across Africa. Featuring
local artist Jill Vidal and more than 10 refugees,
“Telema: Awaken the Dream” tells the story
of Moses, a refugee who earns the help and
love of a Hong Kong girl. Aug 28-29, 7:30pm.
Vine Centre 2, 29 Burrows St., Wan Chai,
2573-0793. $200 early bird, $250 from
telema2014.eventbrite.hk.
Venus in Fur Re-run
David Ives’s sexy, award-winning 2011 play
“Venus in Fur” is back for another run due to
popular demand. Missed last December’s run?
It tells the story of Thomas, a writer holding
auditions for his new play based on the 1870
novel, “Venus in Fur.” Sexy, confident and crass,
actress Vanda struts into the audition hall toting
a bag of S&M props, and draws Thomas in as
they explore the power play between the sexes.
Sep 5-6, 8pm; Sep 6, 3pm. Fringe Club, 2 Lower
Albert Rd., Central, 2525-1032. $190-240 from
www.hkticketing.com.
The Oz Noy Trio
Israeli guitarist Oz Noy started playing
professionally at age 13, and he’s played with
artists as diverse as Sting, Bill Evans, Cyndi
Lauper, Wiz Khalifa and even Josh Groban.
See the man’s jazz-funk-rock-blues mishmash
live in Hong Kong. Sep 2, 8:15pm. Youth Square,
238 Chai Wan Rd., Chai Wan, 3721-8888. $380-
580 from www.urbtix.hk.
Comedy
TakeOut Comedy Presents: Harith
Iskander
He’s been dubbed the “Godfather of Malaysian
Comedy,” and much of the material from
Iskander’s repertoire is about the quirks of his
home country. So expect a bit of reverse culture
shock—it’ll be an entertaining night, and maybe
even an educational one. Or maybe just jokes
about Malaysian curry, who knows? Aug 22-23,
9pm. TakeOut Comedy, B/F, 34 Elgin St., Central,
6220-4436. $200 from www.takeoutcomedy.com.
Story Worthy Week
Story Worthy Week returns for its second edition
this year; the arts festival is firmly rooted in
the idea that everyone in Hong Kong has a
story to tell. It features a whole host of events,
including an appearance by critically acclaimed
American funnyman David Sedaris. The “week”
really is a month of storytelling, including the
return of Literary Death Match—a seven-minute
rapid-fire storytelling contest, plus September’s
Liar’s League literary evening at the Fringe Club.
Check the full schedule on the website.
Sep 12-20. www.storyworthyweek.com.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Naiad Productions returns with an exciting new
production. The play by Dale Wasserman (an
original novel by Ken Kesey) was made famous
by the 1975 Jack Nicholson film. Haven’t seen
it? It’s about a band of patients in a mental
institution, suppressed by the authoritarian and
brutal Nurse Ratched. Randle McMurphy, a new
arrival to the ward, fights to help the patients
win back their self-esteem. Oct 9-12, 8pm; Oct
11-12, 3pm. HKRep Black Box, 8/F, Sheung Wan
Civic Centre, Sheung Wan Municipal Services
Building, 345 Queen’s Rd. Central, Sheung Wan,
2853-2689. $230-260 from www.urbtix.hk.
HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, August 15, 2014 31