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Chung Ying Theatre will stage "Cross-mopolitan" in Hong Kong City Hall Theatre in late October. It is a drama with multi-cultural and multi-media elements drawing on professional artists from Hong Kong, England, Nepal and the Philippines. It is one of the programmes of New Vision Arts Festival presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.

The play is set against the background of a rural village in the New Territories. A Chinese indigenous inhabitant Mr Tang runs a Nepalese restaurant nearby his village, hoping that the unique characteristics of Nepalese food could make a money-spinning business. However, threatened by new competitors, he strives for a "survival plan" with his Philippine and Nepalese staff. Holding the golden keyword of "change", they try to come up with brand-new cross-cultural signature dishes such as "Nepalese dim-sum", "curry fish-and-chips", "hamburger in Chinese potpourri style". Will these dishes help him win the survival game?

"Cross-mopolitan" is directed by Ko Tin-lung and written by Yat Yau, a local young playwright who joins Chung Ying Theatre as a member of the "Playwrights' Theatre Creative Team". Living in Kam Tin where the Nepalese and Filipino populations are expanding in the area, Yat Yau shows his interest in what "Hong Kong Culture" would be. "What does 'Hong Kong Culture' mean to us? A multi-coloured fusion of East and West? Or a chaotic mix of languages and values? Whatever we think, we can never deny that this distinctive, uniquely vibrant city is made up of people of different ethnic origins and ways of life," said the playwright.

"Cross-mopolitan" is an international collaboration initiated by Chung Ying Theatre Company. Involving parties include Philippine Educational Theater Association, SaMa Theatre from Nepal, David K.S. Tse from England and local artists Leon Ko and Hui Shu-ning.

Founded in 1967, Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) is regarded as one of the most influential people's theatres in Asia; SaMa Theatre was established in 1980 by Govind Singh Rawat and is a leading theatre organisation of Nepal and the pioneers in theatre-in-education; David Tse was born in Hong Kong and moved to England at the age of six, and was the first British Chinese to be awarded an Arts Council of England bursary; Leon Ko received Herb Scholarship and ASCAP/Frederick Loewe Award during his study of Musical Theatre Writing Program in New York University; local artist Hui Shu-ning, who directed a well-acclaimed multi-media musical "To touch the Untouchable Sky" in Hong Kong Arts Festival 2002, also makes his contribution as video designer in "Cross-mopolitan".

In order to make the play closer to the ways of life of different cultures, Ko Tin-lung did his research in Nepal and the Philippines, while artists from overseas parties were also invited to Hong Kong to conduct research and interviews with Nepalese and Filipino residing in Hong Kong.

Other members of the production team include Chow Wai-keung as assistant director/script translator, Yoki Lai as set designer, Joanne Chong as costume designer, Alice Kwong as lighting designer, Anthony Yeung as sound designer, and Mok Chiu-yu as honorary advisor. Main actors include Ben Yuen, Edmond Lo and William Lo of Chung Ying Theatre; Shree Prasad Thapa, Som Nath Subedi of Nepal SaMa Theatre; Melvin E. Lee, Vincent A. DeJesus of the Philippine Educational Theater Association; and David K. S. Tse from England.

"Cross-mopolitan" will be staged at Hong Kong City Hall Theatre from October 31 to November 3 at 7.30 pm, and on November 2 and 3 at 2.30 pm. The programme is conducted in Cantonese and English with Chinese and English surtitles of synopsis. Other programme-related activities will also be held including a series of free appreciation workshops from September to November and a post-performance discussion with artists after the matinee performance on November 3. For details please call Chung Ying Theatre at 2521 6628.

Tickets priced at $180, $140, $100 are available at URBTIX outlets. Half-price tickets are offered to full-time students, senior citizens, people with disabilities and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients. Ticket discounts are up to 20 percent for full-priced tickets.

Telephone reservation can be made on 2734 9009 while credit card telephone booking on 2111 5999. Internet booking can be made at www.urbtix.gov.hk

For programme details, please get the programme brochures at URBTIX outlets or browse through the web-site www.newvisionartsfest.com.hk

Programme enquiries can also be made on 2370 1044 while media enquiries can be made to Noel Leung on 2521 6081.

End/Friday, October 11, 2002

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