HKELD’s top theatre picks this month from the International Arts Carnival!

You may be thinking that it’s that time again… the summer slump when all the artists and teachers leave town and the art scene in HK hits a giant lull. Right? Wrong! There are actually a handful of great theatre events happening this month! The number one event that we have to talk about when it comes to family-friendly picks is the 2014 International Arts Carnival.

The International Arts Carnival is a bi-annual festival sponsored by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. They bring performance groups from all over the world to HK to perform. They have shows from more than 20 different countries that perform in various languages, including French, English, German, Czech, Cantonese and Mandarin, to name a few!

I’m going to highlight just a few shows here that I think are especially cool for young audiences:

The Blacklight Theatre, Czech Republic

If you have a chance to go to this show, you MUST! This company has a stellar reputation and has sold out performances all over the world. It’s easily one of the most influential companies when it comes to lighting design and puppetry, presenting revolutionary techniques since the 1970s. I’ll definitely be going to this show and I don’t even have kids! They play with sound, light and color like no other theatre company does.

When: 1-3 August, 7:30pm and 3pm matinees on weekends
Where: Kwai Tsing Theatre, 12 Hing Ning Road, Kwai Chung, New Territories, Hong Kong
How much: $120-240
Website: Buy tickets from URBTIX online.

TIMBER!, Canada

TIMBER! is a Cirque De Soleil-type show from Quebec, Canada that centers around lumberjacks. (Yeah, you read that right). There are big, tough guys in flannel shirts and knit caps doing all sorts of acrobatic tricks, high wire acts, somersaults and aerial feats. The show sounds totally ridiculous and fun, plus there’s a live band playing colourful Québécois folk songs. I’m going for the irony factor alone!

When: 7-8, 10 August, 7:30pm
Where: Shatin Town Hall, 1 Yuen Wo Road, Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong
How much: $120-300
Website: Buy tickets from URBTIX online.

I’MPERFECT, Hong Kong

This is a show created by the local TIE Company, Theatre Noir. It has Cantonese performances and English performances, so please check with the box office when purchasing your tickets. I love a story with a good moral in it and I think I’MPERFECT will resonate with a lot of Hong Kong kids. Randall is a very ordinary boy, someone who, in the eyes of his parents, teachers, schoolmates, friends and even his own, could only be regarded as “not perfect”. When he becomes a first year at the magical Grandville College, the head teacher urges all students to pursue the “I’M PERFECT” school motto and vie for the Star of the Year award. Randall soon recognises that, faced with competition from classmates such as Big Brain, Master Maths, Inno Inventor and A-lister Super Stunner, perfection is out of his reach. Until one day, the Star of the Year trophy disappears and Randall receives a mysterious message, which helps him discover the real meaning of perfection!

When: 16-17 August, 7:30pm and 3pm matinee on Sunday
Where: Hong Kong Cultural Center, Grand Theatre, 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong
How much: $160-200
Website: Buy tickets from URBTIX online.

BONUS EVENT: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory! 

Okay this one’s not a stage performance, but it’s still pretty awesome! The well-known movie is playing on the big screen as part of the festival (It’s the 1971 version, aka the GOOD one). The river boat scene may scar the extremely little ones but other than that it’s a classic family movie that kids love! Please remember to stuff epic amounts of candy into your purse and grab a big box of popcorn to share!

When: 9 August, 7:30pm
Where: Hong Kong Cultural Center, Grand Theatre, 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong
How much: $150