Playwright Edward Lam Yick-wah reinvents a classic
From Edward Lam Yick-wah's perspective, the Hong Kong audience's reverence for musicals looks to be stuck in the 1980s and '90s and is largely limited to classics such as Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera and Mamma Mia!
ART SCHOOL MUSICAL
Edward Lam Dance Theatre
From Edward Lam Yick-wah's perspective, the Hong Kong audience's reverence for musicals looks to be stuck in the 1980s and '90s and is largely limited to classics such as Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera and Mamma Mia!
"I've always felt that while theatre people here prefer to adopt the Western standard, they often refuse to look forward," says the playwright and theatre director. "It's a consequence of both the lack of proper training opportunities at school level and the mass media's tendency to champion the passé."
Encouraged by the progressive spectacles he saw in London, some of which "offer reflections on humanity and the systems on top of their family-friendly or fantasy angles", Lam decided to stage an original musical that conveys his messages in the manner he prefers.
The resulting piece, Art School Musical, was warmly received during its May premiere at Kwai Tsing Theatre, and will be staged at the Cultural Centre for four performances this week.