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Hong Kong International Shakespeare Festival, first of its kind in Asia, to see Macbeth, Hamlet and more reinterpreted

William Shakespeare’s King Lear, Henry V and more will be adapted by troupes from Australia to Italy at the Hong Kong International Shakespeare Festival

Taking place in West Kowloon, the event will see The Bard’s plays performed non-verbally, in Sardinian, and fused with Indian music to tackle modern issues

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A non-verbal adaptation of King Lear performed by an all-female cast from Hong Kong and Romania will feature in the Hong Kong International Shakespeare Festival, along with other reinterpretations of The Bard’s plays by troupes from around the world. Photo: Tang Shu-wing Theatre Studio

Published: 11:15am, 10 Apr 2024Updated: 11:24am, 10 Apr 2024

Few artists have the enduring appeal of British playwright William Shakespeare. His vast body of work may have been written 400 years ago but it continues to resonate with audiences worldwide. And that includes Hong Kong.

To celebrate The Bard, the city is hosting the first Hong Kong International Shakespeare Festival (HKISF) where classics such as Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear have been reinterpreted to address contemporary issues such as gender relations and indigenous cultures.

Organised by Hong Kong’s Tang Shu-wing Theatre Studio, with the West Kowloon Cultural District on board as a strategic and venue partner, the festival takes place from June 5 to 16 at Freespace.

And while the Tang Shu-wing Theatre Studio took part in the 2012 World Shakespeare Festival, and organised the Hong Kong International Shakespeare Performance Exchange in 2022, this will be Asia’s first international performing arts event dedicated to the playwright.

In Hamlet Avataar, which will feature at the HKISF, South Korean clown performances will be blended with Indian music. Photo: Seoul Factory for the Performing Arts

And fans are in for a treat, with troupes from around the world – Hong Kong, Romania, Italy, South Korea, Britain and Australia – taking part. It will be a feast for the senses.

“Shakespeare can be compared to a chef in charge of exquisite dining banquets, offering perpetual nourishment and delight to his guests,” says HKISF artistic director Tang Shu-wing.