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The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD)'s "Miracle Fun" series promises a variety of entertaining programmes suitable for people of all ages in March and April.
Fantasy Puppet Theatre will launch the series with its new production, "Hairy the Little Macaque", to be performed in Cantonese. Come and meet Hairy and other local wildlife inhabitants, such as the Red-whiskered Bulbul and Red-bellied Tree Squirrel, and perhaps you will get a new perspective on the importance of environmental protection and conservation. The thick woodland where Hairy and his macaque family have lived for generations is being invaded by humans. Beautiful trees are being uprooted to make way for skyscrapers, and colourful animal sounds and birdsong replaced by noisy machines. Urbanisation is destroying the ecosystem that provides Hairy's home and food. Can Hairy and his buddies escape this disaster?
"Hairy the Little Macaque" by Fantasy Puppet Theatre
Exhibition Gallery, Sha Tin Town Hall
March 8 to 10 (Friday to Sunday)
Tickets: $130
Exhibition Gallery, Tuen Mun Town Hall
March 15 to 17 (Friday to Sunday)
Tickets: $100
Exhibition Hall, Sheung Wan Civic Centre
March 22 to 24 (Friday to Sunday)
Tickets: $130
Please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/cp for details of "Puppetry Workshop for Hairy the Little Macaque".
Spanish theatre La Baldufa is celebrating its 15th anniversary with a new production, "The Happy Prince", combining different creative styles and techniques including shadow images, puppetry and projections to transform a classic tale into a brand new multi-disciplinary show. The Happy Prince is the story of a majestic statue that looks down over a city. The prince had led an easy, luxurious life, completely unconcerned by what was happening beyond the walls of his castle. Now a statue, the prince is covered from head to foot in gold and precious stones. However, he is not happy. From his privileged position he sees the misery of many of the city's people. The poverty he was previously unaware of now becomes his pain and every night he cries from the impotence of not being able to help them.
One day, a swallow flying over the city takes refuge at the foot of the prince's statue. She is touched by the kindness of the prince and agrees to help him despite the fact that she does not have long - winter is on its way and she has to emigrate to warmer lands where her fellow swallows are waiting for her. The swallow, guided by the prince, takes his precious stones and gold and gives them to the people who need them.
"The Happy Prince" by La Baldufa (Spain) (performed in English with Chinese surtitles)
Theatre, Sheung Wan Civic Centre
March 15 and 16 (Friday and Saturday)
Tickets: $150 and $200
Auditorium, North District Town Hall
March 17 (Sunday)
Tickets: $120 and $160
Jumbo Kids Theatre returns with Toasty and her classmates Lui and Lan in "Monster Family". They each take part in the "One Instrument for Every Student" scheme for many years in the hope of winning the school music competition. Their parents become tiger parents, seeing their children as all-round achievers whether in character, intelligence, physical performance, social skills or the arts, forcing them to practice hard and make music part of their everyday life. Sing is an exception. He doesn't know how to play any instrument, has no particular skill, and his favourite hobby is to pick up waste plastic and put it in the recycle bins. To his fellow students, Sing is a monster. Some even think that he comes from a family of monsters who love eating plastic. In order to find out the truth, they decide to pay him a visit at home. While they are there a mystery person suddenly appears and takes the children on an adventure as they visit one "monster family" after another.
"Monster Family" by Jumbo Kids Theatre
Mulit-media Theatre, HKICC Lee Shau Kee School of Creativity
March 22 to 24 (Friday to Sunday)
Tickets: $100 and $130
Cultural Activities Hall, Tuen Mun Town Hall
March 29 to 31 (Friday to Sunday)
Tickets: $100 and $130
U900 from Japan, also known as the Ukulele Duo Dolls, promise the audience an evening of entertaining music and singing. Founded by the "woollen dolls" Rabbit U and Bear 900, the duo play popular tunes on the ukulele. In 2011 they performed in Hong Kong and the performances were well received by audiences. The group returns with a fresh look and a lively programme including the famous songs "Doreamon", "Thriller" by Michael Jackson and "Yellow Submarine" by The Beatles.
"U900 Ukulele Live in Hong Kong 2013" (Japan)
Theatre, Sai Wan Ho Civic Centre
March 29 (Friday)
Tickets: $150 and $200
Auditorium, Yuen Long Theatre
March 30 (Saturday)
Tickets: $100, $130 and $180
Auditorium, Tai Po Civic Centre
March 31 (Sunday)
Tickets: $130 and $170
Established by American choreographer Anthong Heinl, Evolution Dance Theater from Italy will blend dance, acrobatics, physical theatre, video art and technology into a visual feast of magical illusion and alluring dance. Titled "Firefly", the performance involves a variety of strange creatures who, unfettered by the laws of physics, travel through space, melting into and breaking away from one another. A new black light technique enhances the excitement as figures mysteriously float, fly, bounce, and disappear. The performance fuses the illusionary and the magical in a refreshing, engaging and memorable performance that continually excites the audience, appealing to young and old.
"Firefly" by Evolution Dance Theater (USA/Italy)
Auditorium, Kwai Tsing Theatre
April 5 and 6 (Friday and Saturday)
Tickets: $120, $180 and $240
Please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/cp for details of "Study In" Workshop.
Tickets for the "Miracle Fun" events are now available at 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 and their minders, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients (limited tickets for CSSA recipients available on a first-come, first-served basis). A maximum discount of 20 per cent is offered for various booking packages.
For programme enquiries, please call 2268 7323 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/index.html. Ticketing enquiries can be made on 2734 9009 and credit card telephone bookings on 2111 5999. Tickets can also be booked online at www.urbtix.hk.
Ends/Friday, January 25, 2013
Issued at HKT 17:37
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