The First-ever Hong Kong International Shakespeare Festival

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

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.

Early bird tickets of the 1st Hong Kong International Shakespeare Festival will be available from April 2 to 21 exclusively on Art-mate(art-mate.net). Public sale will start from April 26 on URBTIX (https://www.urbtix.hk/).

Host or Publisher Tang Shu-wing Theatre Studio