Chinese-language drama festival returns with impressive lineup

The city is set to host international talent to celebrate next year's Sixth Chinese Drama Festival.

The event, which is held every two years, will feature more than 80 performances and is expected to attract 20,000 theatre-goers. It has also been held in Beijing, Macau, Taipei and Kunming and returns to Hong Kong in January.

The Arts Development Council will provide HK$2.5 million funding.

The Teahouse, by Beijing People's Art Theatre, Brighton Beach Memoirs, by the Macau Conservatory, and Taiwan's Green Ray Theatre's Proof will be staged as apart of the event's cultural exchange platform. A new version of Journey to the West, co-presented by the Academy for Performing Arts and the Federation of Drama Societies, will also feature.

Drama veteran and chairman of the event's organising committee, Chung King-fai, said the city had a big influence over the development of Chinese-language drama around the region and more young people had become involved in staging drama.

'The number of drama professionals has increased greatly, mostly because of the establishment of the Academy for Performing Arts,' Mr Chung said.

But one thing could prohibit its growth. 'The rent for venues, even government-owned venues, is too high for some small drama groups,' Mr Chung said. 'The system of booking is also very rigid, as many venues were required to be booked a year in advance. It's very hard for some of the groups.'