Dirks Theatre Arts Association
8, 9/5｜Friday, Saturday｜8pm
Old Court Building, 2nd floor (no elevator)
Tickets: MOP 150
A journey of discovery traversing the physical and imaginary realms of cities
Co-director and Adaptation: Ip Ka Man
Co-director, Adaptation and Movement Director: Wu May Bo
Set Design: Mo Ka Man
Lighting Design: Lau Ming Hang
Cooperative Lighting Design: Calvin Lam
Composer: Patricio Chan
Sound Design: Leung Wai Hou@Chicken Beef Recording Studio
Video Design: Shing Pok Man, Hong Heng Fai@DayDay Studio
Make-up Design: Wu Chi Wai
Production: Dirks Theatre
Production Manager and Stage Manager: Lam Hoi Weng@MiisProduction Ltd.
Executive Producer and Deputy Stage Manager: Chu Cheng Man
Performers: Cheong U I, Kuong Tin Lok, Wong Pak Hou, Leong Fan Kai, Leong Sio Fu and Lei Weng In
A young undergraduate student is about to set off on a journey overseas to immerse herself in foreign cultures, or so she tells her family and friends. However, her actual destination is none other than her humble abode and her “trip” merely a series of photoshopped travel photos posted on social media. The story is akin to that of an envoy sent to a foreign land, who, seeking to impress his sovereign, brags of the sights and sounds of all the different cities and places he visited, inventing stories and describing enchanting sceneries vividly. Both stories share disquietude towards the present and high hopes for the future, idealising a definition of urban life.
Protean Cities is an adaptation of Italian writer Italo Calvino’s novel Invisible Cities, which deals with the fundamental significance of cities. The play portrays the unique rhythm of urban life from the perspective of ordinary daily life. Snapshots and video clips are projected on stage at intervals, giving the performance a sense of “telepresence”. By recounting a very personal life experience, Protean Cities creates a sense of empathy and affinity in the audience while portraying the many facets of urban life.
Founded in 2009 based on the motto “create, practice and exchange”, the Dirks Theatre Arts Association seeks original themes and performance styles with the purpose of producing unconventional and innovative works.
* This performance was premiered at the CCM 15th Anniversary Programme. Open Box 2014
．Please refer to the MAF Outreach Programme Guide: Post-Show Sharing Sessions
Performed in Cantonese, Mandarin and English, no surtitles
Duration: approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes, no interval