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The latest production from the UK's DV8 Physical Theatre, "Can We Talk About This?", will be premiered in August this year in Sydney. The Asia premiere will be staged in Hong Kong in September after that as one of the stops in the theatre company's international tour. This is a not-to-be-missed show for all dance and physical theatre lovers.
"Can We Talk About This?" is a new production by DV8 Physical Theatre about freedom of speech, censorship and offence. From the 1989 book burnings of Salman Rushdie's "The Satanic Verses" to the murder of filmmaker Theo Van Gogh and the controversy of the Muhammad cartoons in 2005, DV8's production will examine how these events have reflected and influenced multicultural policies, press freedom and artistic censorship.
Following up the critically acclaimed "To Be Straight With You", this documentary-style dance-theatre production will use real-life interviews and archive footage. Contributors will include a number of high-profile writers, campaigners and politicians.
DV8 Physical Theatre was formed in 1986 and has been led since its inception by Lloyd Newson. The company has produced 16 highly acclaimed dance pieces that have toured internationally and four award-winning films for television. DV8's most recent stage production, "To Be Straight With You", was an exploration of tolerance, intolerance, religion and sexuality. It toured nationally and internationally to great acclaim and won the Grand Prix de Danse at the French Critics' Award (2009) as well as nominations for Best Dance Production at the Laurence Olivier Awards (2010) and the Dora Award in Toronto (2010). DV8's last visit to Hong Kong was in 2000 with one of their popular productions, "Can We Afford This?"
Presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, "Can We Talk About This?" by DV8 will be staged at 8pm on September 2 and 3 (Friday and Saturday), at 3pm on September 4 (Sunday) at the Auditorium, Sha Tin Town Hall. Tickets priced at $420, $360, $280 and $180 are now available at all URBTIX outlets, on the Internet and by credit card telephone booking. Half-price tickets are available for senior citizens aged 60 or above, people with disabilities, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients (limited tickets for CSSA recipients on a first-come, first-served basis). For group booking discounts, please refer to programme leaflets. A package discount is also available for one-time purchase of tickets for two or more of the following programmes: "Tea Break" by DanceArt Hong Kong, "Can We Talk About This?" by DV8 Physical Theatre and "Dan's Exhibitionist 2011" by Daniel Yeung.
For programme enquiries, please call 2268 7323, or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/cp. For ticketing enquiries, please call 2734 9009. For credit card telephone bookings, please call 2111 5999. For Internet bookings, please visit www.urbtix.hk.
This programme may contain nudity as well as scenes and language of an adult nature that some people may find offensive. Audiences aged 16 or above are welcome to attend.
There are also free fringe activities to tie in with the show. Limited seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Video screening – "The Cost of Living" (2004) (in English)
August 15 (Monday), 8pm
Lecture Hall, Hong Kong Science Museum
Pre-performance talk (in English)
August 31 (Wednesday), 7pm
AC2, 4/F, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui
Conducted by Artistic Director of DV8 Physical Theatre, Lloyd Newson
Moderator: Andy Wong
Registration hotline: 2268 7323
Ends/Friday, July 15, 2011
Issued at HKT 11:45
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