Dinner and a show in Hong Kong is trending 50 years after its heyday as restaurants explore immersive dining

The 60s and 70s were the golden age of dinner theatre in Hong Kong, but Covid-19 travel curbs saw people stuck in the city go for the concept once again

From disco-themed meals to murder mysteries and menus with courses that mine history, Hong Kong restaurants are embracing immersive dining. But not all do it well

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The cast of Felix’s Studio 54 immersive dining experience. Dinner and a show is back in vogue in Hong Kong half a century after its heyday. Photo: Studio 54

Published: 12:45pm, 24 Nov 2022Updated: 1:01pm, 24 Nov 2022

Theatre dining isn’t a new concept.

If you’re a fan of classic films such as Goodfellas and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, or even television shows like HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, you’ll know that back in the day, a fancy night out would involve dressing up and eating a meal while being entertained by the star of the day.

Indeed, in its heyday, dinner theatre featured big Hollywood names such as Debbie Reynolds, Betty White and Mickey Rooney as headliners.

Dinner theatre was also popular in Hong Kong during the 1960s and 70s.

While performers, especially women, didn’t enjoy the same level of fame and popularity as their Hollywood counterparts – mostly because the cultural taboo of women working as entertainers was still pervasive – many Hong Kong stars had a background in dinner theatre, most notably Anita Mui, Mimi Chu and Wan Kwong.

The rise of commercial and cable television in the late 80s and 90s spelled the end of much dinner theatre around the world, as the headline acts could make more money starring in commercials and television shows than performing multiple nights on stage, while audiences had much more entertainment options at home.