It is a good week for those who enjoy raucous English-language comedy theatre. The Conrad Playhouse, which has opened its doors again with a performance of Alan Ayckbourn's economically titled work, Bedroom Farce - - starring a group of well-qualified professional British actors - had its first performance last night and runs until April 5. And that enthusiastic gang of amateur farceurs, the American Community Theatre, has a new show this week. A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking, which opened on Wednesday at the Arts Centre and runs until April 4, is Thelma and Louise without the guns, the car chase, the Harvey Keitel character and, of course, Brad Pitt. The two heroines in this story are Hannah Mae Bindler, who has just moved up to New York state from Texas, apparently mainly to pester her new neighbour, Maude Mix. Maude is already in a foul mood as her husband has disappeared for the weekend with his secretary. At first, Hannah Mae's clumsy overtures do not go down at all well. But as time passes, Maude realises she may have found an ally against the world of hopeless husbands. Focusing on frontline photos Focus on the Frontline is such a good idea that it is remarkable it took until 1995 for it to start. This annual exhibition celebrates the work of Hong Kong's press photographers, and this year showcases 50 pictures divided into six categories (spot news, general news, people, sports, feature and photo essays). This was the year of course when our photographers had considerable competition from several thousand overseas colleagues to capture the definitive handover image. For some, this was former Governor Chris Patten, his head bent, receiving the folded up Union flag from a soldier in a plumed helmet. For others, it was those images of the PLA driving across the border heads held high, the rain pouring down their faces. And for another group, it was the firework displays that meant the most. It was also the year when the stock market took a nose dive and more than a million chickens were slaughtered. All of these events, and many others, are on display at the Hong Kong Arts centre between March 29 and April 26. Images of the way Hong Kong was The photographs of Ngan Chun-tung show another Hong Kong entirely. In The Way We Were, his latest exhibition and first solo show at the age of 71 at the new OP Gallery, the veteran photographer showcases some of his best works from the 1950s and 60s. It is a scruffier, simpler Hong Kong, almost familiar now to those of us who did not live through those times from the work of several of Ngan's contemporaries. He has a particular gift for showing Hong Kong people at their leisure: in pictures of shaven-headed school boys gathered at the bottom of the Cat Street steps or a woman artist in a cheongsam, her hair piled high on her head watching the world while another gang of children watch her. As well as seeing the works, there is a chance to hear Ngan explain why he took them in a talk at the gallery on April 4 at 6 pm. The show runs until April 18. Abstracts filled with emotion Luise Fong first came to Hong Kong as part of the interesting Transfusion exhibition, which showcased the work of three young New Zealand artists, alongside three from Hong Kong. She is back this week with a new show called Sonar at the John Batten Gallery between March 31 and April 29. Her work for this exhibition is on a modest scale, mainly because she had to carry the paintings over herself on the plane, and presumably the budget did not run to an excess baggage allowance. Her 10 pieces, some oval, some square, are all abstract works made using her distinctive technique of building up layers of Chinese ink and acrylics. The effect is a smoky, luxuriant look that she says reflects many ideas and includes many references to emotion, spirituality, absence and even physics.
