The Open Couple
What was this? Dario Fo’s classic comedy tells the story of a couple faced with difficult choices. After the husband proposes entering into an open relationship, he quickly rethinks this after finding out about his wife’s lover. This play was staged by Aurora Theatre in Hong Kong, with a generous grant from the Italian Cultural Institute HK.
My role. This was my full directorial debut, and I had full control over the production.
What I took from this. This was very important for my development as a writer, as it gave me a great appreciation of both the need to give creative freedom to a director, as well as things I can avoid to prevent creating problems for a director. I also leaned into even further into my signature of extremely minimalist sets, with the entire production deeply inspired by the Lars von Trier classic Dogville.
Tatler Feature | Interview | Review
Covid & Cigarettes
What was this? During the Covid pandemic, a group of Hong Kong creatives got together to produce a series of shorts on the topic of ‘Covid & Cigarettes’. Each short featured both elements, was scripted, but filmed live with some reheasal. It gave a critical voice to the creative community during a period where theatre was completey shut down and physical performances were non-existent.
My role. My piece, entitled Screens Apart, was selected and performed as a part of this collection. It would later evolve into Episode 6 of the sitcom Close Quarters. I also directed two pieces - Voices by Emma Wood, and Tobacco Gold by Neil Runcieman. Furthermore, I helped in the production of the overall collection and accompanying screenings.
What I took from this. This was my first time directing anything, and I found it a fantastic learning experience. It was also the first time that I had to define my relationship with a director, and set the stage for my later collaborations.
What was this? This wonderful play by Lauren Gunderson tells the story Henrietta Swan Leavitt, one of the ‘forgotten women’ of science, whose contributions helped mankind to understand the large scale of the universe, specifically that it is made up of multiple galaxies and not one giant one. This play was staged by Aurora Theatre in Hong Kong.
My role. This was my first foray into the world of theatre, being cast in the lead male role, on the basis of my prior work in standup comedy alone. I trained as I rehearsed, formaling my acting training while preparing to go on stage.
What I took from this. Being involved in this play was a watershed moment for me. It showed me that theatre can provide a way to teach the world about real-life events, something which had not occurred to me before. By taking a story that desperately needed to be told, and fictionalizing it just enough to be attractive to an audience, Gundrson made sure that the world now knows about the contrbutions of Leavitt. This was the direct inspiration for my own work, Welcome to Pyongyang.