Warnings regarding nude scenes issued

We refer to the letter from Martin J. Sperring headlined 'Naked affront to ordinary decency' (South China Morning Post, August 24).

We have taken note of his comments about the article headlined 'Stripped ease' (Post, August 14) on the theatre performance The Naked Para Para, staged by the Edward Lam Dance Theatre last month in the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Studio Theatre.

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department aims to cultivate an environment for artistic expression, diversity and excellence.

In presenting or sponsoring programmes, we respect the arts group's artistic creation.

Edward Lam, the artistic director of the performance, said the theme of the production was to explore the impact on the younger generation in Hong Kong of Japanese culture and to examine more deeply from a cultural point of view Hong Kong people's concept of sex. To encourage the audience to think more critically and appreciate the theme and ideas of the production, there were five pre-performance workshops and a post-performance forum conducted by Mr Lam and the leading actress, Ichijo Sayuri.

About 200 people attended the post-performance forum held on August 25, and the discussion was animated and frank.