Homegrown Outdoor Shakespeare Festival Is Back
The city's first outdoor Shakespeare festival is back for a second year, with highlights including a Cantonese production of "The Tempest." There are 10 days left to fund the event and get your hands on early bird tickets.
After a successful first run last year, the Shakespeare in the Port festival is back for more Bardolatry from April 16 to May 3 at Cyberport. The festival believes that Shakespeare doesn't have to be boring nor expensive: Expect fun, affordable local productions of the great playwright's work.
Seeking to build an event sans bureaucratic redtape and traditional funding, the festival is rely on a crowdfunding campaign to finance the productions. So far, the event has reached nearly half of its goal: $11,950 out of $25,000, with a February 22 deadline.
"Crowdfunding is the future for the arts here: eight out of 10 people who apply for funding through the Arts Development Council don't receive it." says Artistic Director Meaghan McGurgan. "We need to look beyond what is supported by the government and support Hong Kong's local independent art scene."
To make a donation, click here and opt for a $40 donation, early-bird packages ranging from $100 for a single weekday pass to $1,200 for a VIP family package. There are more goals for potential sponsors. McGurgan says now is a good time to snap up tickets: "Crowdfunding tickets are cheaper, and you don't get locked into a specific date."
This year, the festival is bigger, louder and more diverse. Watch out for a bilingual production of "A Midsummer's Night's Dream" and a Cantonese production of "The Tempest."
"I think the divide between artists from the Chinese and English art communities works against us—so I'm quite happy we're a bilingual event this year," says McGurgan. "Hong Kong's talent is very undervalued. It's completely possible to cast a festival from 100% local talent and not sacrifice quality."
