RECREATION, SPORTS AND THE ARTS
The company went on two overseas tours in 1992. In February, it took part in the Third China Arts Festival in Kunming by staging two performances of a new dance drama, The Snow is Red, co-choreographed by the company's Artistic Director, Shu Qiao, and reputed choreographer Hua Chao from China. In October, the company participated in Festival Hong Kong '92 in Canada by staging a newly adapted version of the dance drama Rouge.
The Chung Ying Theatre Company
The Chung Ying Theatre Company, which is supported by the Council for the Performing Arts, began the year with Far Way Home, the first locally commissioned work ever staged in the annual Hong Kong Arts Festival. Winner of Best Script (Original) and Best Director (Comedy/Farce) in the First Hong Kong Drama Awards (91-92) organised by Hong Kong Federation of Drama Societies, the production returned in June to play to Sha Tin audiences.
A spooky musical The Dracula Spectacula, directed by visiting British director Chris Harris, was sold out during July's International Arts Carnival, and made a come back for family audiences at Sheung Wan Civic Centre in December.
British clown Gerry Flanagan re-directed the highly original devised work Fools, Fools, Fools!, for a re-run in October in Ngau Chi Wan Civic Centre before taking off to Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver as part of Festival Hong Kong '92.
Artistic Director Chris Johnson directed Rupert Chan's adaptation of Russian play- wright Nikolai Erdman's The Suicide. Set in Canton in the 1950s the play was part of the City Hall's 30th anniversary celebratory programme. She also directed a commissioned work on an environmental theme in November. The outdoor project, in collaboration with the British Council, was staged both aboard a ferry and on Stonecutters Island.
The company also re-staged the Cantonese version of Willy Russell's Educating Rita in March. On the education side, Fools, Fools, Fools! toured schools throughout the territory and Monkey See, Monkey Do was presented as part of Hong Kong Cultural Centre's education programme, in addition to the ongoing workshop programme.
City Contemporary Dance Company
The City Contemporary Dance Company, Hong Kong's first professional modern dance company, started its dance season by staging its Artistic Director, Willy Tsao's Wanderings In The Cosmos in the 1992 Hong Kong Arts Festival. In March a major dance and music production Rite of Spring and Lam Mot was specially commissioned by the Urban Council to celebrate its 30th anniversary with choreography by Helen Lai and Willy Tsao staged at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall. Other major productions presented by the company during the year included Salome Dance For Peace in April-May at Hong Kong Arts Centre Shouson Theatre; Stories About Certain Women in June-July at the City Hall Theatre 30th anniversary celebration of the City Hall; Invisible Cities at Hong Kong Arts Centre Shouson Theatre in July, Made In Hong Kong: Very Good! in August at the Fringe Club; and Three Dreams in November at the Hong Kong Academy For Performing Arts Drama Theatre.
The company also mounted two overseas tours to Dalian, Shenyang, Beijing and Tianjin in North-eastern China, and Ottawa and Montreal as part of Festival Hong Kong '92, in September and October respectively.
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