REFRAME THEATRE

A journey of over nine thousand kilometers to a distant country, spanning more than ten days of exploration, 
was filled with unexpected twists: 
an abrupt train halt without warning, 
two oustings from trains, 
and three moments of feeling dwarfed by the towering statures of Europeans. 
Yet, the privilege of watching five local performances made every challenge worthwhile!

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Playreading Reframed
Fueled by European theatre’s vitality,

bold new creations upon returning to Hong Kong.

 

In May 2025, our theatre troupe’s artistic director, joined by two emerging theatre creators, embarked on a journey to Germany to immerse themselves in the Berliner Theatertreffen, one of the world’s top three theatre festivals. Steeped in the vibrant atmosphere of European theatre, they drew inspiration, weaving their reflections and insights from the journey into their creations. Three plays, each shaped by the unique vision and artistry of its creator, converge in a single space to craft three distinct realms, each responding to the human condition nowadays.

 

The performance unfolds in a rotating format, with each show featuring two plays, followed by an engaging dialogue between guest speakers and the creative team, unveiling the philosophy of “reconstruction” behind the texts.

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"Nine Scenarios of Lost in Love"
Written and Directed by Yan Pat To

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Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep-beep
This train is bound for an unknown destination, perhaps pausing at the station of chance encounters or gliding past the platform of passionate love.
Please hold tight to your ticket—it is proof of your heartbeat.
Next stop: Love at First Sight. The doors on the left will open; prepare to plunge into the abyss of romance.
Mind the platform gap, for even the closest lovers harbor divides.
Next stop: Cooling-Off Period. Please allow unsuitable partners to disembark first.
This train has reached its final station: Happy Singlehood. All passengers, please take your memories and regrets with you as you alight.

 

A 21st-century echo of Roland Barthes’ A Lover’s Discourse, Nine Scenarios of Lost in Love by Pat To Yan delicately traces the myriad landscapes of urban love. Spanning the fervent passion of youth at 20 to the quiet reflection of old age at 70, nine stories of diverse ages, orientations, and emotional states intertwine, unveiling the multifaceted ecology of love—where ardor, struggle, vulnerability, and profundity coexist. Amid the city’s hum, each relationship whispers, articulating the collective subconscious that resonates with us all.

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"When Chimpanzees Start Telling Stories"
Written by Tsui Tsz Ching^ and directed by Chu Kai Hin

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“Once upon a time”—Once upon a time, three little pigs decided to build their own homes.
“One day”—One day, Little Red Riding Hood’s mother sent her to visit her ailing grandmother.
“Suddenly”—The little pig built a sturdy brick house. Suddenly, a knock came at the door.
“Unexpectedly”—Little Red Riding Hood arrived at a cottage in the forest. Unexpectedly, there was no sight of her grandmother. So, she sought a hunter’s help.
“And they lived happily ever after”—The little pig offered the pair at the door to the Big Bad Wolf in exchange for lasting peace. And they lived happily ever after.

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One cage, four chimpanzees, trained day after day in the art of storytelling.

Inspired by the revolutionary evolutionary biology experiment extending Kafka’s A Report to an Academy and its study of the ape Red Peter, this work may upend our understanding. 

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Humans once deemed themselves the supreme beings of the animal kingdom, only to discover a mere sliver of genetic difference from chimpanzees. Scientists tirelessly train these primates, seeking the breakthrough in evolution’s gap. Unexpectedly, the key lies in the ability to tell stories. Through imagination, humans weave shared narratives, giving rise to concepts like “money,” “religion,” and “nation.” As chimpanzees tirelessly practice and master this skill, they become more human than humans themselves, and from then on…

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“Die Gewehre der Frau Carrar”
Curated by Mo Hiu Shan^,
Devised by Chan Ka Yan, Lau Ka Ying, Leung Kin Chung, Mo Hiu Shan^, Wong Ho Tin, Yip Shu Yan

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(You will be compelled to join)
A mind-bending feast certified by 99.9% of locals—

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Anchored in German playwright Bertolt Brecht’s classic play, this work plunges you into the turmoil of the Spanish Civil War. The story revolves around the fisherwoman Carrar and her family. Clinging to pacifism, she believes it will shield her two sons from the flames of Franco’s fascist coup, convinced that keeping them from the fight against Franco and fascism will protect them from the violence of the Spanish Civil War. Yet, a single event drives her to take up arms herself…

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A bodhi leaf,
Three kilograms of flour,
A gust of sand from across the shore—
These sketch the eternal ritual of war’s desolation.

Where has humanity’s absolute free will gone?

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Performed in Cantonese

How to get to East Kowloon Cultural Centre
Approx. 5-minute walk from MTR Kowloon Bay Station Exit B via footbridge