Jessie Chung Ching-sze was heading nowhere when a submission deadline for her new work The Next Stop is ... Waiting loomed close last summer. As for the two characters in the play, the ending just wasn't in sight. 'I knew I'd reached a point in the story where I had to stop but didn't quite know how,' says the 32-year-old playwright. 'I came up with at least three endings before quickly choosing one for submission.' But that wasn't the end of it. The Next Stop is.... Waiting was part of last year's scriptwriting project Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in Theatre organised by Prospects Theatre, Theatre Ensemble and the Hong Kong Arts Centre. The work will be staged by Prospects Theatre at Sha Tin Town Hall this month before moving to Tuen Mun Town Hall. The play had a premiere of sorts in a small theatre last July while Chung was still working on it - and still not happy with how it finished. While discussing the script with Prospects Theatre's artistic director, Paul Poon Wai-sum, it finally clicked, Chung says. She had her ending. 'It took me about 18 months to reach the end of that story,' she says. 'But it did happen - finally. Now, I think it brings out the message I want to convey very well.' Directed by Shaw Mei-kwan of Windmill Grass Theatre, with the two roles filled by Wong Wing-sze and Amanda Leung Pui-yee, the existentialist play delves into the psyche of two different characters who confront the same situation. The 80-minute drama tells of two young women stuck in a train that has come to an abrupt halt. Neither has any idea of the reason for the delay, what they should do next or how to solve their problem. The play focuses more on the differences between the women than on the situation itself. 'It's actually a very simple story, but underneath is a profound study of human nature,' says Chung. 'We face problems every day, but how we tackle them may vary widely. Some may choose to solve these problems in a positive way while others chose to ignore them. This play asks when we should be insistent and when we should give up and let go.' Shaw, better known as a stage actress, says she was drawn to the play after Poon asked her to direct it. 'The script was completed when I received it, which always makes life easier,' she says. 'What appeals to me is that, by reading between the lines, I get to learn how Jessie looks at life. Her ideas and thoughts about living are similar to my own, so I can relate to what she's saying in the play. The piece has a lot of humour and presents many possibilities. As an actor, I looked forward to the chance of directing because it will help with my acting.' The 33-year-old says one of the biggest challenges is that there are many ways to approach the play. She could, for instance, treat it as a serious drama, but has decided to give it a comic take. 'It's like giving it a sugar coating because Jessie's play is very deep and heavy in places and I want to use a light method to stimulate the audience and get the heavy messages across,' says Shaw. The Next Stop is ... Waiting marks her directorial debut with a professional theatre company. All four women involved are Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts graduates. Shaw graduated in 1999, Leung the next year and both Chung and Wong in 2001. Chung says she's pleased that, under Shaw's direction, her characters now leap off the pages. She's surprised how funny some of her lines are when they're being spoken. Shaw says she has made no changes to the script, which she received in March. 'I've known directors who practically take a script apart and re-recreate it,' she says, 'But I believe there must be reasons why a scriptwriter has written what they have, so I try not to change things. With this particular work, I'm able to find an approach that satisfies my artistic direction while leaving what Jessie wants to say intact.' That those involved are all female is coincidence. The characters could just as easily be male, Shaw says. Chung says Waiting is a sequel to One and the Only One, which was staged by Prospects Theatre two years ago. 'It was about two men who have to choose between bread and ideals.' By contrast, Waiting is like a reunion, with old friendships being rekindled. 'I picked Wong Wing- sze for this production for personal reasons,' she says. 'We go back a long way. We met at some events organised by Sha Tin Theatre when we were both teens. Then we both ended up at the APA. 'Although she's trained in acting, she has gone on to scriptwriting after a quick stint with Theatre Ensemble. But I know how much she enjoys acting, so this may be a good opportunity for her to step on stage since her last role, in Night and Dream in the South [last October]. She also has strong artistic views, but we really haven't had a chance to collaborate until now.' This is also the first time Shaw will have worked with Leung since graduation, 'so this is like rediscovering our friendship'. There's also a practical reason for choosing two actresses of a similar age. Although there are two characters, Shaw says 'they could be the same person. This play could well be about what goes on inside the head of one woman.' The Next Stop is ... Waiting, May 18, 19, 8pm; May 20, 3pm, Sha Tin Town Hall, HK$120; May 26, 8pm; May 27, 3pm, Tuen Mun Town Hall, HK$100. Inquiries: 2268 7323 or 2606 2989
