--- id: "theatre-10-en" title: "Testimony" subtitle: "South Asians in Hong Kong: Documentary Theatre" category: "theatre" startDate: "Thu Aug 15 2019 12:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)" endDate: "Sun Aug 18 2019 07:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)" status: "Past Event" tags: ["Documentary Theatre", "Devising Theatre"] venues: ["Cattle Depot Theatre"] liveUrl: "https://www.rooftopproductions.hk/en/theatre/testimony" --- # Testimony **Subtitle:** South Asians in Hong Kong: Documentary Theatre **Category:** THEATRE **Tags:** Documentary Theatre, Devising Theatre **Live Link:** https://www.rooftopproductions.hk/en/theatre/testimony ## Dates & Tickets - **Dates:** 15 – 18 Aug 2019 - **Duration:** 1 hour 30 minutes - **Tickets:** HK$150–200 - **Status:** Past Event ## South Asians in Hong Kong Over a hundred years ago, the British first brought people from South Asia to Hong Kong to keep the peace. Others came by commercial ship, to take advantage of new trading opportunities. Now, South Asians make up the largest ethnic minority group in Hong Kong (apart from domestic workers), and the history of their contribution to the development of the city far outweighs their current visibility in society. Hong Kong has become an international cosmopolitan city, but the South Asians who helped create it are systematically excluded from it in the education system, the workplace, and the media. Many have been fighting for years for their voices to be heard. The South Asian community here has already faced the problems that all Hongkongers are now facing. What can we learn from their experiences? ### Directors' Notes In one of our interviews about society’s perception of ethnic minorities, we asked the interviewee: "If people say: 'Resources are limited, we should look after local people first.' how would you respond?" She took an unhurried sip of coffee and replied: “They are local people.” We all laughed, disarmed by her simple answer. Actually ‘local’ and ‘non-Chinese’ have never been opposites; these two concepts can stand together. Going into the research phase of this show last year when we met Prof. Lisa Leung, we had a lot to learn. Neither of us can claim any South Asian heritage, so it was vital to form our opinions by talking directly to the people we wanted to learn about. We ran theatre workshops for Hong Kong South Asian youth, we volunteered teaching at their Chinese lessons, and arranged interviews with upwards of 30 people related to the topic. We also knew it would be essential to have actors with South Asian heritage involved directly in the creative process, and luckily we found there are plenty of very talented people in Hong Kong. We worked together to create the content and the script, based on verbatim interview transcripts as well as the actors’ own experiences and reflections. _\-_ [_Ivor Houlker_](/artist/ivor-houlker)_,_ [_Michelle Li_](/artist/michelle-li) > "As someone with partly Sri Lankan heritage, I thought I knew about all the issues relating to ethnic minorities in Hong Kong, but I really didn’t. Making this show opened my eyes and made me realise that some ethnic minorities are more neglected than I thought. The question I kept asking myself was ‘Well, what can I do?’" - [Arisa](/artist/arisa-yasaratne) > "Doing this show has made me realise the important role we South Asians have played in the development of Hong Kong’s society. It has changed the way I think about myself as an ‘ethnic minority’. It made me realise that I am part of Hong Kong - our history and future is intertwined." - [Tusar](/artist/basnet-tusar) > "Our rehearsal process coincided with a historical social movement, but instead of hindering our progress, it actually helped me better understand Hong Kong’s culture, history, and interpersonal relationships. Through learning the history of the path that ethnic minorities have taken, I realised that we should act - not just for ourselves, but for those around us; together we are proud of being Hongkongers." - [King Lung](/artist/ng-king-lung) > "I discovered that there is still so much to discover; this is just the beginning." - [Kashif](/artist/mohammed-kashif-ali) ## Audience Information - **Language:** * Mainly in Cantonese and English. ## Awards & Recognition - **Winner of :** Best Scenography - 12th Hong Kong Theatre Libre (2019-2020) - **Nominated for:** Best Script - 12th Hong Kong Theatre Libre (2019-2020) - **Nominated for:** Best Director - 12th Hong Kong Theatre Libre (2019-2020) - **Winner of :** Performance of the Year - IATC (HK) Critics Awards 2019 - **Nominated for:** Best Performance - 12th Hong Kong Theatre Libre (2019-2020) - **Nominated for:** Best Actor - IATC (HK) Critics Awards 2019 - **Winner of :** Best Scenography - IATC (HK) Critics Awards 2019 ## Creative Team - **Presenter:** Rooftop Productions - **Directors:** Ivor Houlker, Michelle Li - **Music Director:** Ivor Houlker - **Dramaturg:** Lai Sim Fong - **Collaborating Actors:** Mohammad Kashif Ali, Basnet Tusar, Ng King Lung, Arisa Yasaratne, Michelle Li - **Lighting Designer:** Au Yeung Hon Ki - **Musician:** Basnet Tusar, Michelle Li, Ivor Houlker - **Video Designer:** Chan Tsz Ho Calvin - **Stage Manager:** Kahy Chan - **Assistant Stage Manager:** Herriet Tsang - **Assistant Producer:** Chan Myae Mon Mon - **Lighting Operator:** Cheng Hoe Ling Sarah - **Academic Advisor:** Lisa Leung - **Graphic Designer:** Alfie Leung - **Promotion Photographer:** Ivor Houlker ## Venue ### Cattle Depot Theatre - **Type:** Physical Location - **Address:** Unit 7, Cattle Depot Artist Village, Ma Tau Kok Road - **Getting there:** 從土瓜灣站A出口步行5分鐘。 - **Map:** [View map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJNyLk3ykBBDQRNwgUvSvzF1c) ![Map image showing the location of Cattle Depot Theatre](https://res.cloudinary.com/rphk/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/v1/rooftop-maps/en/cattle-depot-theatre) ## What Critics Say > "Although it's documentary-based, the stories are very dramatic. Combined with their dynamic use of multimedia, they have created an enjoyable and impressive show which explores serious topics in depth. The creative team is full of humour while reflecting on the racial discrimination issues." — *[object Object]* ## multimedia ![Mohammad Kashif Ali embodies the introspective core of 'Testimony,' featuring a mountain projection that reflects the show's layered storytelling.](https://res.cloudinary.com/rphk/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/v1/rooftop-images/testimony-key-visual) ## Attribution & Copyright © 2019 Rooftop Productions. All rights reserved.