Jim Chim Sui-man is known for his hilarious gags in movies and on stage, plus his impersonations of famous - and notorious - celebrities. The renowned theatre actor is the founder of Pleasure Imagination Play (PIP) Cultural Industries, the first privately funded cultural enterprise in Hong Kong.
Tell us about your career
I graduated from the school of drama at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in 1990. I then joined the David Glass Mime Ensemble and toured Britain for eight months. I spent about three years in Europe studying with theatre masters Philippe Gaulier and Monika Pagneux. When I came back in 1993, I started my own theatre company with my wife and a friend.
What was the turning point of your career?
I used to have a fairly rigid idea of art. I wanted to learn theatre acting and go to a proper theatre company. But when I started doing serious plays, people laughed and that really frustrated me. Then I went to Europe to study with Philippe Gaulier, who taught me that the most important thing for an actor is pleasure. This was an incredible awakening for me, and it was then that I was able learn more about my potential.
What challenges do performing artists face in Hong Kong?