--- id: "theatre-9-en" title: "The Furies Variations" subtitle: "By what principles can we judge, in order that we continue to choose justice, rather than the worst injustice? – Plato (Republic)" category: "theatre" startDate: "Fri Dec 07 2018 12:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)" endDate: "Sun Dec 09 2018 12:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)" status: "Past Event" tags: ["Music Theatre", "Greek Theatre", "Devising Theatre"] venues: ["Kwai Tsing Theatre Black Box Theatre"] liveUrl: "https://www.rooftopproductions.hk/en/theatre/the-furies-variations" --- # The Furies Variations **Subtitle:** By what principles can we judge, in order that we continue to choose justice, rather than the worst injustice? – Plato (Republic) **Category:** THEATRE **Tags:** Music Theatre, Greek Theatre, Devising Theatre **Live Link:** https://www.rooftopproductions.hk/en/theatre/the-furies-variations ## Dates & Tickets - **Dates:** 7 – 9 Dec 2018 - **Duration:** 1 hour 30 minutes - **Tickets:** HK$150–200 - **Status:** Past Event ## The Furies / Eumenides / Justice / Rule of Law / Ethics / Oresteia… The Furies, vengeful goddesses of Ancient greek mythology, are born from the blood of Uranus. Their role is to pursue wrongdoers and take revenge upon them. However, in the Oresteia, they are given a new role by Athena: to enforce the new judiciary system established by the people of Athens, and enforce it with due process rather than simply taking revenge. They are given the title of ‘Eumenides’ or ‘The Kindly Ones,’ to acknowledge their new role as protectors and citizens of Athens. Aeschylus’ Oresteia not only brought mythological characters to life; it also used them to reflect and justify the contemporary political and judicial change in ancient Athens- from the rule of Kings to Democracy. History is full of examples of those in search of justice, but today how do we define justice? Who is responsible for it? How should it be carried out? What is the role of The Furies’ in our search for justice? ## Ancient Greece / Myth / Philosophy / Plato’s Republic / Intertextuality / Polyphonic Song / Live Band… The Furies Variations takes ideas from different ancient Greek playwrights, as well as works from Plato, Confucianism, Kafka and others, using an intertextual approach to consider the the current problem of justice. Accompanied by live rock music, polyphonic singing and Bach. ### Directors' Notes The _Oresteia_ is a formidable epic, full of revenge and dead Greeks. We couldn’t get any dead Greeks to come and see our show, so we had to adapt it significantly from the original. This involved a process of devising with the actors, based on Aeschylus’ themes and characters, relating them back to our own experiences and identities in contemporary Hong Kong society. > “A just society can’t be achieved simply by maximising utility or by securing freedom of choice. To achieve a just society we have to reason together about the meaning of the good life, and to create a public culture hospitable to disagreements.” - Michael Sandel In our process we have been trying to emulate some of Sandel’s conclusions about justice, challenging one another’s beliefs about morality, religion, and how to live. A common element we found between the _Oresteia_, our own experiences, as well as other philosophical sources is that the family is central to our development of a sense of justice, forming a microcosm of how justice is enacted on a larger scale in society. When the most pressing issues of our time cannot even be discussed between different generations in the same family, then coming to a consensus on what is ‘just’ on a larger scale is unthinkable. ### Music When confronted with epically long books Homer’s _Odyssey_ or Aeschylus’ _Oresteia_, it’s easy to forget that what we are looking at on the page was at the time the height of popular music. We know that Euripides was considered way ahead of his time in terms of his avant -garde composition. There’s a story in Plutarch about how a group Athenian prisoners were able to earn food and drink when captured in Syracuse by singing Euripides’ latest songs. Music has a way of rendering the epic scale of tragedy more accessible and palpable, adding a level that translates across cultures and time. ### Greek Theatre In its golden age from the 5th to the 4th century BC, it was said that Athens spent more money on its theatre than its fleet. The theatre was a place to discuss important issues of the time, with playwrights using the stories of heroes and from their semi-mythical past as a metaphor for the urgent societal issues of the time. Theatres often served as an alternative site for public debate, and mass engagement with theatrical performances was thought to promote the kind of the deliberative reason, critical judgement, and civic values necessary for participating in a democratic society. Most of the text you hear has come from the group of collaborating actors, writing and rewriting. We’d like to thank them for all their efforts and sharing, as well as the whole creative team, and others who have supported us to make this show possible. ## Audience Information - **Language:** Performance in Cantonese with English surtitles. - **Info:** * There is a post-show talk after each performance, please feel free to stay and participate. * Seating is unallocated. ## Awards & Recognition - **Winner of :** Best Scenography - 11th Hong Kong Theatre Libre (2018-2019) - **Nominated for:** Best Performance - 11th Hong Kong Theatre Libre (2018-2019) - **Nominated for:** Scenography of the Year - IATC (HK) Critics Awards 2018 - **Nominated for:** Performance of the Year - IATC (HK) Critics Awards 2018 ## Creative Team - **Presenter:** Rooftop Productions - **Directors:** Ivor Houlker, Michelle Li - **Music Director:** Ivor Houlker - **Collaborating Actors:** Chou Henick, Michelle Li, Yau Fuk Wing, Chan Wing Shuen, Wong On Ting, Lung Jes - **Lighting Designer:** Lai Bie - **Musician:** Maggie Chu, Ivor Houlker, Sham Chung Tat - **Sound Designer:** Sham Chung Tat - **Stage Manager:** Sam Siu - **Graphic Designer:** Alfie Leung - **Promotion Photographer:** Ivor Houlker - **Promotion Makeup Artist:** Anni Teng - **Video Operator:** Chan Tsz Ho Calvin ## Venue ### Kwai Tsing Theatre Black Box Theatre - **Type:** Physical Location - **Address:** 12 Hing Ning Road, Kwai Chung, New Territories, Hong Kong - **Getting there:** 5 minutes from Kwai Fong Station, Exit A. - **Map:** [View map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJQxPBILz4AzQRy9JFZfWqVdg) ![Map image showing the location of Kwai Tsing Theatre Black Box Theatre](https://res.cloudinary.com/rphk/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/v1/rooftop-maps/en/kwai-tsing-black-box) ## What Critics Say > "This performance is very playful and crazy. I always say that if you want to know more about cutting edge productions in Hong Kong fringe theatre, Rooftop Productions is my first choice. They always provide the audience with a new way of seeing in all their productions, surprising you. The whole performance is rich and full of different elements; a feast for the eyes." — *RTHK Arts News* > "This performance impressed me a lot. They have successfully chosen their entry point for discussion. This is very important: the creative team has chosen the right approach to resonate with their audience. " — *IATC (HK)* ## multimedia ![Yau Fuk Wing embodying the scales of justice in 'The Furies Variations': 'By what principle are we to continue choosing justice, and not choose the greatest injustice?'](https://res.cloudinary.com/rphk/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/v1/rooftop-images/the-furies-variations-poster-20241113-171250) ## Attribution & Copyright © 2018 Rooftop Productions. All rights reserved.