Is there a point in creating a dance that's based on the famous Tchaikovsky score of the beloved ballet, The Nutcracker? Yes, Hong Kong choreographer Yuri Ng Yue-lit said 13 years ago. At the time, he wanted to get a gripe he had against that work out of his system: that the Chinese sequence in the ballet should be performed the proper Chinese way. Today, Ng's reason for reviving Firecracker, his adaptation of ballet master Marius Petipa's 1892 classic based on the story by E.T.A. Hoffman about a young girl's magical adventure, is far more complex and retrospective. 'I want to emphasise that both I and my work have since changed,' the 45-year-old says. So the protagonist is no longer The Nutcracker's Clara but her ageing uncle, and Firecracker is not only a fairy tale but a commentary on our society today. Ng stresses that the performance - to be staged by the Hong Kong Ballet this week - is still, in essence, a piece of family entertainment for the Lunar New Year, but there are many more layers to it than meets the eye. The firecracker stands for many things in the show, he says. It symbolises traditions, spectacular moments, creativity and, within the Hong Kong context, prohibition and indifference. 'Firecrackers are still banned in Hong Kong and I am curious why no one has challenged the authorities to have that ban lifted,' Ng says. 'Setting off firecrackers has long been a Chinese tradition for celebrations, but that was stopped here because it was considered dangerous. And people simply accepted that as a fact.' That says a lot about our society, he adds, as the public, in general, has ceased questioning decisions that are made by bureaucrats. 'That doesn't mean I am dissatisfied with our society today ... I just think there are better ways to live our lives,' Ng says. 'Actually, if life was perfect, then what would be the motivation to live? So I think we should always look for ways to improve [our lives].' The independent choreographer also likens the firecracker to an artist in that both need the right environment 'to explode'. He says: 'A firecracker will not go off if it is dampened. Likewise, artists need nurturing before they can shine.' In Firecracker, the uncle, who is a skilful but lonely craftsman, creates a string of firecrackers that can be lit again and again. 'Because the real thing is banned, he has come up with something that appears to be magical but, in fact, is fake. In reality, a firecracker goes off just once ... just like a human life, you cannot live it repeatedly. That's why the moment of explosion is so intense and spectacular, because it lasts for only a few seconds.' Firecracker was first staged in 1997 by the City Contemporary Dance Company. Setting it in the 1960s, Ng created a set of characters - such as Rose Noir, Golden Finch and the Bad Guy - that were popular stereotypes in black and white Cantonese movies. While he has retained the nostalgic feel of the show in the upcoming production, the audience is invited to look at the story from the point of view of the old uncle rather than the young girl. 'The production 13 years ago was more superficial. This time round it is more personal as the piece also addresses the issue of growing old.' Ng has roped in Hong Kong Ballet dancer Yuh Egami as associate choreographer to look at the piece from a new perspective. 'He understands the company and communicates well with the dancers. He is keen to explore the language of dance, to see whether it's accessible for the audience. 'Yuh is also not afraid to raise questions ... we are certainly on the same wavelength. He has made significant contributions to a good part of this show,' Ng says. Also on the production team are set designer Kelvin Tsang Man-tung and costume designer Yoki Lai. 'The show will be staged at the Studio Theatre at the Cultural Centre, but it is by no means a small production,' says Ng, who in recent years has been expanding his interest in photography, video making and costume design. 'It's an intimate venue, which works well for this piece, but much attention has gone into the props, the set and new costumes that recreate the style of 1960s Cantonese movies,' he says. 'I hope that those who come to the show will have an entertaining time but, at the same time, I don't want to just create an all-singing, all-dancing piece. I want to also leave room for the audience to reflect on their lives. I think that is appropriate especially for the New Year [because] that's the time when we make resolutions, right?' Firecracker, Fri-Feb 7, 7.30pm, Sat-Feb 7, 2.30pm, Studio Theatre, HK Cultural Centre, HK$180-HK$380. Inquiries: 2105 9724
