Hong Kong as a hotbed of insurrection? It may be hard to imagine that now, with so many people preoccupied with stocks and property. But there were once ranks of revolutionaries whose efforts fuelled Sun Yat-sen's campaign a century ago to overthrow corrupt Qing rule and establish a modern republic. Among them were Yeung Kui-wan, who helped set up the Xingzhong Hui (Revive China Society), and Tse Tsan-tai, a founder of the South China Morning Post. These largely unsung heroes feature in Martyrs on an Uphill Road, an original play being staged by Amity Drama Club, a community theatre group. Playwright Patrick Pak Yiu-charn, a former vice-principal of St Louis School, got the idea for the production 12 years ago during visits to his ailing mother in Tung Wah Hospital in Sheung Wan. 'When strolling through the area I saw all those historic sites and buildings, and a picture formed in my head: revolutionaries walking up and down along these streets to deliver messages, information and even weapons. At the same time, others might be rushing to the hospital, hosting meetings on how to help people who were injured or ill, and arranging funerals for the dead,' he recalls. But instead of focusing on a famous personality like Sun, Pak decided to shift the spotlight to a 1903 uprising organised by Tse, merchant Li Jitang and Hung Fook-chuen, a nephew of Taiping rebellion leader Hong Xiuquan. 'When creating an historical play, I don't like to write about people who are too famous. I'd rather explore lesser-known figures who have been overlooked. This gives me more room to develop a story,' says Pak, who used to teach Chinese history. 'In fact, these lesser-known incidents and people often played a pivotal role in history. Through theatre, I hope more people will get to know about these heroes.' Martyrs is the second in a series of productions that Amity has been staging to mark the 100th anniversary of an abortive uprising in Guangzhou in 1911, also known as the Huanghuagang insurrection. (Last year, the company staged The Nameless Tomb which focused on the life of Yeung.) Pak's new play begins with Tse taking up the mantle of leadership after Yeung, his best friend, is assassinated by Qing agents in Hong Kong. But the drama unfolds around the conflict between two fictitious characters, a conservative businessman and his nationalistic younger brother, who is deeply influenced by Western ideals of democracy and later takes part in the 1903 uprising. Although he began work on the script after retirement, Pak devoted many years before that gathering material from archives such as the Dr Sun Yat-sen, Tung Wah and Po Leung Kuk museums. But one book - Pioneers of Revolution in China; Christians and the Revolutions in the Late Qing Dynasty - proved particularly useful. Written by historian Leung Sau-wah, it offered a wealth of information on Yeung, Tse and Hung, who were all Christians. A couple of weeks before Martyrs opened, Pak and director Carmen Lo Ching-main brought the cast to cemeteries across the city to pay their respects at the graves of some of the forgotten rebels. One stop was the grave of Hung Chuen-fook, whose headstone had been obscured by grime until local historians found it in the Hong Kong Cemetery in Happy Valley in 2004. Jam Cheng Ka-chun, who took on the role of the revolutionary younger brother in Martyrs after playing Tse in Nameless Tomb last year, says he was moved by the experience. 'Most people don't know that Hong Kong was the starting point for many big events in modern Chinese history,' he says. 'A number of historically significant incidents took place in Central district, and it's something we should know as Hong Kong people. 'Playing [Tse] made me familiar with his life and story. It felt really amazing to get so close to him. I don't know how to describe the feeling. My heart just beat really quickly as I was standing in front of his grave,' he says. Those attending the play will receive a booklet on the history and life of these forgotten heroes. Yeung, Tse and their comrades spearheaded the nationalist revolution in China, says author and historian Yeung Hing-on. The writer spent 12 years tracing his family's exploits, and the research proved particularly useful for his contribution to the script of The Nameless Tomb. After all, his father was a cousin of slain revolutionary Yeung. 'At that time, Hong Kong opened a window for a group of educated Chinese people to learn about the Western culture and democracy,' says Yeung Hing-on. 'Many people were dissatisfied with the Qing government, but most were intimidated and dared not speak up or take action. But in Hong Kong, these dissidents got together and formed groups that served as catalysts for the transformation of China in later years.' The staging of Martyrs seems apt amid escalating protests against the the government's HK$66.9 billion high-speed rail link project and other policies, but Pak says the timing is pure coincidence. 'In the progress of any society, there is always a collision between the radical and moderate,' he says. 'But what I want to emphasise in this play is that, it really doesn't matter what kind of person you are, or what kind of ideology, religious or political stance you embrace, as long as you are sincere about what you are doing and are seeking to do something good for society.' Martyrs on an Uphill Road, 7.45pm, Hong Kong City Hall Theatre, until Sun; 2.45pm Sat-Sun; tickets HK$160 or HK$120. Inquiries: 9424 3475