Going Out
THEATRE Greek. Starting tomorrow, 7.30pm, Fringe Club Studio Theatre, $160, members $130.
Michael Harley directs and co-stars in this production by Theatron of Steven Berkoff's play, derived from Sophocles but essentially about what an awful place Britain was in the 1980s.
Passionate, angry theatre, or a monomaniac's boring foul-mouthed rant? It is probably a little of each.
Harley has a good record as a director and has worked with Berkoff himself which should add some depth to his insights into the play which he calls 'a rare and magnificent piece of theatre'. Simon Broad, Wioletta Glazewska and Elizabeth Baldwin complete the cast.
The Magical Voyage Of Ulysses. From Wednesday, 7.30pm, Saturday matinee 2.30pm, Hong Kong Arts Centre Shouson Theatre, $140, $160, Urbtix.
Another rerun of a classic, John Wiles' retelling of the epic voyage as interpreted by the Hong Kong Players. Ulysses sails from the siege of Troy to his home on the island of Ithaca but thanks to one or two unforeseen difficulties on the way takes about 10 years to get there.
Difficult to stage a few of the ordeals in the Shouson Theatre I would imagine, but apparently the play approaches the material in a contemporary way and with a certain amount of humour. It sounds intriguing.
Back To The Wall. From Thursday, 8pm, Fringe Club Theatre, $150, members $130.
A one-woman show from Teresa Norton with which she toured internationally. This was well received at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and at the Hong Kong Arts Centre during its run there last year. The lives of three women, all played by Norton, suddenly intersect on the night of the handover.
Co-written by Norton and the Post 's own Nury Vittachi.
CLASSICAL MUSIC Hansjorg Schellenberger. Tuesday, 8pm, City Hall Theatre, $80, $130, Urbtix.
An oboe recital by the German virtuoso Schellenberger accompanied by Gabriel Kwok at the piano. The programme ranges from Bach to Britten, taking in Schumann, Saint-Saens and Poulenc on the way. Looks promising.
Josef Fung. Friday, 8pm, Sha Tin Town Hall Cultural Activities Hall, $70, Urbtix.
This concert, which Fung will repeat on Saturday at Tsuen Wan Town Hall, is entitled Echo Of Spain and features the music of mostly Spanish composers including Manuel de Fatta, Issac Albeniz, Francisco Tarrega and Fernando Sor. Fung, although a composer of some distinction, has eschewed his own compositions on this occasion, and will concentrate on interpreting the lberian greats. For guitar fans a trip north of Lion Rock is in order.
MUSIC Dance Force. From tomorrow, 9pm, Stix, Park Lane Hotel basement, free.
Stix is a new nightspot in the 'soft opening' phase and therefore not charging for admission which makes the nightly sets from Dance Force a real bargain.
A red hot rhythm 'n' blues band with a repertoire which stretches into other areas determined by whatever is likely to get dancers on to the floor.
Do not be surprised to walk in and see nobody on stage but the drummer - the others work the room and get the audience involved without ever dropping a beat.
The band was previously performing at Trump's Castle Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, and charismatic lead vocalist Laura Soeder has stints with Boys II Men and Patti Labelle on her CV.
Great stuff for dancers, and blues fans will be impressed by the lead guitarist. They play a fine version of Margaritavitte and the bar mixes a mean Margarita to match.
Tim Wilson And Dave Packer. Wednesday, 6.30pm, Fringe Club Bar, free.
A saxophone and piano duo comprising two of the longest serving stalwarts of the local jazz scene - Tim Wilson on the reeds and Dave Packer on the keys.
Both can turn their hands to a variety of styles but Packer's leanings are strongly towards bebop while Wilson has established himself in the experimental area combining Eastern and Western musical ideas with the Han Shan ensemble. This should be well worth checking out.
EXHIBITIONS Explorations. From Thursday, Fringe Club Gallery, Monday to Thursday noon to midnight, Friday and Saturday noon to 2am.
A joint exhibition by three artists. Nancy Lloyd's technique is to look at everyday objects but viewed from a different perspective.
Caroline Bowman draws her inspiration from the world of nature, while Elaine Gulliver has an interest in psychology which finds expression in an unconventional mixed media technique. It should be interesting to compare and contrast.
Chinese Abstraction And Beyond. From Tuesday, 10am to 8pm, Hong Kong Arts Centre Pao Galleries.
A selection of abstract works by contemporary Chinese artists including emigrants from the 1940s onwards and some who are still resident on the mainland.
The mediums range from the traditional ink on rice paper to oil on canvas. Centrepiece of the show will be a large installation work by Diana Wong, a Hong Kong artist who now lives and works in the United States.
Worth dropping by.