Macao artists perform in Shanghai
By Betty Fung

 

Macao artists exercise before going on stage.

Driven by enthusiasm, a group of Macao artists went to Shanghai to participate in the city's Second International Experimental Theatre Festival. 

The festival, co-organized by the Shanghai Theatre Academy and University of Toronto of Canada, was held during October 28 - November 3. There were 13 plays staged by artists from nine cities and seven countries.

The performances drew about 10,000 viewers. The festival also hosted six seminars in which 90 theatre practitioners gave a speech. The event was extensively covered by the national and local media; five TV stations carried news reports on the festival. Going to Huashan Road for a play became the newest fashion for young people in the city.

The Hiu Koc Drama Association represented Macao in this festival. With more than 25 years of experience in the theatrical profession, the association is one of the most promising theatre groups in Macao. 

"Another A-Ken's Soroya" was the play that Hiu Koc brought to Shanghai for the festival. The play depicts how the lonely hearts of modern men and women search for new paths in life. Encompassing the relish of ridicule and video techniques, this comedy is an original script written specially for the theatre festival.

The leading role, A-Ken has worked dutifully as a keeper in a super store's warehouse for eight years. He is in charge of arranging canned products in the warehouse. One day a can wrapper captures his attention. The heading reads "Soroya to peace with silence."

A-Ken then has a dream one night. In the dream, he is standing in the white meadow, looking afar at a girl standing under the tree. A-Ken wants to walk towards the tree, but no matter how hard he tries, he could not move closer to it. A-Ken wants to take a closer look at the girl. Just as when she starts to turn her face towards him, A-Ken suddenly wakes up from his dream.

Jacky Lee, one of the actors from "Another A-Ken's Soroya" commented that this festival was very successful in the sense that participants could exchange acting experience and friendship. Though rehearsals took up much of his time, he said that this was a good opportunity for Macao's performing arts group to showcase their works.