A night at the theatre, mama? Meaghan of HKELD gives us the inside on all the best shows in the ‘852 this May

As the founder of HKELD – a website dedicated to promoting performing arts to the English speaking community in Hong Kong – mamas are always asking me what shows I recommend. I am a big fan of quality family entertainment, and a show for children should be of the same high quality as a show designed for adults! The month of May will have lots of options for mamas or teachers looking for the perfect arts and theatre programmes for their kids.

For Younglings

There’s a really interesting show coming to Hong Kong this month from Uruguay that’s well suited for young kids. Called Kohi, it’s a blacklight puppetry show that uses both objects and human bodies to create a really unique experience that kids love. The show is only 60 minutes long, which is perfect for those short attention spans (and small bladders!) It’s playing 18-19 May in Tai Po and North Point.

For more information see:

http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/ce/CulturalService/Programme/en/f_entertainment/program_230.html

For Teens

Good Morning Hong Kong is a brand new musical, debuting this month. Set during the hand-over, it’s a good show for surly teens! It’s got rock and roll flair, local humour, and talks about an important time in Hong Kong’s history, featuring both local and international performers. It’s playing from 22-26 May at the APA in Wanchai.

Check out the details here: http://www.goodmorninghongkong.com/

For Cantonese-speaking Kids

For mamas looking for something fun for their Cantonese-speaking children I recommend The Kite Boy. Perfect for young kids, this is a modern puppetry piece being presented by the LCSD, and it fuses together animation, puppetry, lights and music into a show that teaches an important moral. It is performing at three theatres over the course of its run from now until 19 May, making this a convenient option.

All the details are available here:

http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/ce/CulturalService/Programme/en/f_entertainment/program_211.html

For Mama’s Night Out

Mamas looking to escape the chaos and enjoy a night of dance should check out Yo Gee Ti, part of Le French May. This fusion dance piece blends modern ballet with hip-hop moves, traditional Chinese dance and Brazilian beats. It sounds very interesting, and quite different to the type of show that normally graces the Hong Kong stage! Playing from 30- 31 May at the Hong Kong Cultural Center in TST, you can read more here: http://www.hkeld.com/events/view/213

You can read more about upcoming shows in Hong Kong at Meaghan’s fab theatre blog, http://www.hkeld.com.