XN000022-1982-08-06 — Page 8

FRIDAY, A"OC.

NEW STREET THEATRE

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ONE OF THE BUSIEST ENTERTAINMENT STAGES IN HONG KONG HAS THE CURIOUS DISTINCTION OF MOVING HOUSE AFTER EVERY PERFORMANCE SO THAT IT CAN ALMOST NEVER BE FOUND IN THE SAME PLACE TWO NIGHTS RUNNING.

GOVERNMENT'S ONLY AUTHENTIC TRAVELLING ROADSHOW, THE GIS STREET THEATRE, HAS MOUNTED SOME 1 500 PRESENTATIONS SINCE IT FIRST CAME INTO BEING EIGHT YEARS AGO.

AND THE VENERABLE THREE-TON LORRY THAT HAS COVERED THOUSANDS OF MILES TO MAKE THESE PERFORMANCES POSSIBLE IS AT LAST GOING INTO RETIREMENT WITH THE OFFICIAL INAUGURATION ON SUNDAY (AUGUST 8) OF ITS SPECIALLY DESIGNED AND EQUIPPED SUCCESSOR.

SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1974, THE GIS STREET THEATRE HAS BEEN SEEN BY WELL OVER A MILLION PEOPLE. ITS PERFORMANCES HAVE INCLUDED VARIETY ACTS, DRAMAS, PUPPET SHOWS, SINGERS, DANCERS, LION DANCES, MAGICIANS AND ACROBATIC SHOWS. IT HAS PROVIDED ENTERTAINMENT AT CROWDED WEEK-END BEACHES, DENSELY POPULATED HOUSING ESTATES AND INDUSTRIAL AREAS THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY.

UNDERLYING THE ENTERTAINMENT THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN EQUALLY VARIED RANGE OF MESSAGES OF PUBLIC INTEREST. THESE DIVERSE THEMES HAVE COVERED TOPICS FROM INDUSTRIAL SAFETY TO CRIME PREVENTION, FROM ANTI-NARCOTICS TO FIRE PREVENTION, AND FROM ROAD SAFETY TO THE SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMME, NOT FORGETTING THOSE FAMILIAR REMINDERS TO KEEP HONG KONG CLEAN. THE MESSAGES HAVE BEEN UNOBTRUSIVE AND HAVE PROVED EFFECTIVE.

THE AUDIENCE, THROUGH BEING INVOLVED, HAVE RESPONDED WELL TO THE DIRECT AND RELAXED APPROACH WHICH USES THE MEDIUM OF ENTERTAINMENT TO SUPPORT GOVERNMENT'S CAMPAIGN THEMES.

TO CELEBRATE THE COMMISSIONING OF THE THEATRE'S NEW THREE-TON VEHICLE, A SPECIAL INAUGURAL PERFORMANCE WILL BE PRESENTED BY THE GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES ON SUNDAY IN THE CHATER ROAD PEDESTRIAN PRECINCT IN CENTRAL, BEGINNING AT TWO O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON.

MR R.S. SUN, DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SERVICES, WILL OFFICIATE AT THE CEREMONY WHICH WILL TAKE THE STREET THEATRE INTO A NEW ERA.

THE ENTERTAINMENT-PACKED SHOW PROMOTING GOVERNMENT CAMPAIGNS WILL INCLUDE A PERFORMANCE BY THE PIPES AND DRUMS OF THE SECOND BATTALION SEVENTH DUKE OF EDINBURGH'S OWN GURKHA RIFLES, SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN LION DANCES, A MODERN DANCE PERFORMED BY THE RECREATION AND CULTURE DEPARTMENT, MAGICIANS AND ACROBATIC DISPLAYS.

MUSIC WILL BE FROM THE LOCAL GROUP THE INNERSOUND+, AND SINGERS, INCLUDING MR LI LUNG-KAI, MR BOBBY CHAN AND MISS LIU SIU-SHUEN, WILL ALSO ENTERTAIN THE PUBLIC.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

YOU ARE INVITED TO SEND REPRESENTATIVES TO COVER THE INAUGURATION OF THE NEW GIS STREET THEATRE AT 2 PM ON SUNDAY IN CHATER ROAD PEDESTRIAN PRECINCT IN CENTRAL.