Studio Theatre, Cultural Centre, December 30 For one night, the bickering and whining of children took over the Cultural Centre's studio theatre.
The venue that has become a shrine for wacky alternative drama played host to a show directed towards the under 10s.
The protagonist was Na Zha, one of the most famous icons of traditional Chinese fables. The son of a fictional Chinese general, the boy - endowed with mythical powers and a short temper - killed the son of an evil Dragon King and paid to that reckless act by ending his own life.
Simple though the story might be, Ming Ri should be credited with the reinterpretation of the well-worn tale.
Not satisfied with a straightforward performance that would only appeal to the easily-pleased children, director Wong Tim-keung delivered a multi-layered reading that succeeded in thrilling kids as well as provoking adults - most of them parents - to re-examine what constitutes a balanced childhood and an apt relationship with their children.
As puppets played out the original storyline, a group of teenagers discussed what childhood means to today's youth, with witty dialogue about their teenage angst and revealing communication blues with their parents.