At New Vision Arts Festival, personal truths are revealed in reimaginings of classic works and a multisensory theatre experience
- Hong Kong’s annual performing arts festival showcases a trio of productions created by local talents, including In the Name of Hanjin, a work of immersive audio theatre
- The Old Man and His Sea combines Ernest Hemingway’s writing with Cantonese opera, while Bach im Theater: St John Passion modernises a choral masterpiece and Bible story
Stage productions often provide a glimpse into the personal journeys of the artists who have created them. Three shows at this year’s New Vision Arts Festival in Hong Kong, organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, embark on the same quest: a search for the truth.
In the Name of Hanjin is a work of immersive audio theatre by Hanjin Tan, an award-winning Singaporean actor and musician who is now based in Hong Kong. The production looks into what it means to find one’s true self.
At first, it appears to be an onstage collaboration between Tan and Banky Yeung, a Hong Kong actor, theatre director and playwright. But as the performance begins, Tan disappears without a trace, leaving Yeung to play both of their roles and also contend with three mysterious masked characters who have suddenly shown up. Meanwhile, Tan enters another realm, where he goes on a journey of self-discovery led by a particular piece of music.
The audience will be in for several surprises when it comes to the audio elements of the show, Tan says: “There are some sounds that fly over your head. There are sounds that go from left to right; there’s some sound going from back to front.”
Various items will be used to create those sounds, ranging from conventional musical instruments such as a violin to more unconventional noisemakers like a basketball.
