A studio headshot of Rooftop Productions (天台製作) actor Ivor Houlker. He has curly, salt-and-pepper hair, brown eyes, and a light stubble, looking directly at the camera with a calm, focused expression typical of a professional actor in the Hong Kong contemporary theatre scene. Ivor Houlker's headshot in 2025.

IvorHoulker

Mutlidisciplinary theatre artist

Biography

Ivor Houlker is a multidisciplinary theatre artist, who works internationally as a director, actor, musician, and programmer. He specialises in hybrid forms involving technology, as well as physical theatre and site-specific performances. His work often involves live music, chorus, multimedia projection, sound installation, and audience interaction. Since 2014 his work has incorporated programming and developing original apps to support interactive work. Recent works also include original real-time online platforms and to enable new forms of live interaction. Ivor is a founder and artistic director of Rooftop Productions in Hong Kong.

Ivor’s own work has been shown in London, Hong Kong, Edinburgh, Brighton, Prague, Palermo, Epidaurus, Wrocław, Warsaw and Lublin. He has worked with many famous theatre groups and independent theatre artists around Europe, such as OPT Gardzienice, The Grotowski Centre, Andrzej Wełmiński (Cricot2), Mischa Twitchin (Shunt), Helen Chadwick (Song Theatre), Andrea Cusumano.

Ivor’s movement training comes from different masters in Europe: Włodzimierz Staniewski (Gardzienice), Jerzy Grotowski, and Tadeusz Kantor. He also teaches workshops in physical theatre, actor training and polyphonic singing.

Previous Shows

Explore past productions and events

A dramatic close-up shot of performer Michelle Li during the contemporary Hong Kong theatre production 'Karaoke' (《卡啦OK》). Li wears a blue tracksuit and glasses, her face illuminated by warm stage lighting as she sings passionately into a gold microphone with her left arm raised high. In the background, a glowing disco ball and a retro television monitor create a nostalgic atmosphere typical of a WestK stage performance. Key visual for Michelle solo performance Karaoke at WestK.

Karaoke

8/1/2026 至 9/1/2026

In Karaoke, Rooftop Productions’ Michelle Li presents a devised solo work exploring identity through archival stories, Canto pop, and family memories.

Director、Creator
Key visual for Rooftop Productions' contemporary theatre piece 'History Play' (曲解莎劇). The image features actor Burton Leung in the role of Rizzly (Earl of Southampton), posing with a stoic expression. He wears a striking black ruff collar and intricate Elizabethan-inspired black costume, accented by bold, high-fashion stage makeup with dramatic red eye shading and lips. He is framed against a dark, textured background as white and red rose petals drift around him, capturing the avant-garde aesthetic of this Hong Kong stage production. History Play key visual.
Script / Playwright of the Year

History Play

30/10/2025 至 2/11/2025

History Play Rehearsed Reading is a bold devised work reimagining Shakespeare’s Richard II through a genre-defying mix of rap, metal, and Cantonese opera.

Creator、Promotion Photographer、Performer
Michelle Li in a candid rehearsal shot for Rooftop Productions' contemporary theatre piece, 'Karaoke' (《卡啦OK》). She wears a casual sage green t-shirt and glasses, looking engaged and thoughtful while illuminated by soft studio lighting against a dark backdrop. A brightly colored stage costume hangs on a rack in the background. As if inviting a partner onto the stage, she says, "Jing Jing, come over here..."

Karaoke

2024年10月15日

Karaoke is a devised work by Rooftop Productions. Michelle Li uses song to navigate Hong Kong’s modern history, memory, and personal identity.

Creator、Director
An evocative, Van Gogh-inspired illustration for the Rooftop Productions (天台製作) performance, 'Songs of Innocence and Experience'. The artwork features a swirling, textured night sky background in deep blues and purples, framing a conflict between two groups of fantastical characters. On the right, human-like figures with intense expressions and ornate markings advance through white clouds. On the left, grotesque, mythical creatures with sharp features and horns reach out from the shadows, creating a dramatic, surreal tableau typical of contemporary Hong Kong experimental theatre. 'Songs of Innocence and Experience, WestK, illustration'
Best Original Music (Drama)
Scenography of the Year
Outstanding Production of the Year

Songs of Innocence and Experience

27/1/2024 至 4/2/2024

Songs of Innocence and Experience is a vibrant devised work from Rooftop Productions, exploring the tumultuous journey to adulthood in contemporary HK.

Director、Music Director
A minimalist, blueprint-style line drawing of a lunar-rover-style vehicle set against a dark grid background, created as the key visual for the contemporary Hong Kong theatre production 'Presence'. The design evokes themes of technology and futurism, reflecting the aesthetic exploration of the future of performance. Key visual for the future of performance, Presence

Presence

17/3/2023 至 26/3/2023

Presence Phase 2 is an immersive telepresence performance. Control robotic vehicles to explore real-world sites and unlock stories in this hybrid work.

Programmer
A dramatic key visual for the contemporary Hong Kong theatre production 'Songs of Innocence and Experience' by Rooftop Productions. The image features a close-up, moody portrait of actor Caroline Chan, whose face is partially obscured by her arm. Her dark, textured hair is highlighted with striking streaks of neon green and purple, set against a deep violet, ethereal background with abstract, cloudy light forms. The lighting casts a cinematic, high-contrast glow on her face, emphasizing a sharp, intense gaze. 'Songs of Innocence and Experience' Key Visual.

Songs of Innocence and Experience

20/6/2022 至 24/6/2022

Songs of Innocence and Experience at HKAPA is a poignant devised work exploring the threshold of adulthood, reimagining Milton’s themes of rebellion.

Director、Promotion Photographer
A long-exposure, moody performance shot for the key visual of the Rooftop Productions (天台製作) show 'Presence'. The image captures a kinetic, low-angle view of a performer wrapped in translucent bubble wrap, illuminated by stark, cool blue LED light trails that slice through the dark, experimental stage setting. This evocative image captures the essence of contemporary Hong Kong physical theatre and avant-garde staging.

Presence

22/3/2022 至 28/3/2022

Presence Phase 1: An immersive remote theatre experience by Rooftop Productions. Navigate physical spaces via ROV to explore agency, space, and exile.

Programmer
A dynamic action shot of Hong Kong performer New Y-Kid (廖偉傑) captured mid-air as he leaps down a concrete outdoor staircase at night. Wearing a white t-shirt, grey trousers, and a flat cap, he is balanced on one foot, extending his arms wide with an energetic, joyous expression while holding a smartphone and wearing wired earphones. The industrial setting features bright overhead lighting, geometric red railings, and stark concrete steps, characteristic of the urban aesthetic often explored in Rooftop Productions' contemporary theatre works.

We Still Dance

18/11/2021 至 30/12/2021

We Still Dance: Explore Tsuen Wan via immersive digital theatre. Rooftop Productions merges contemporary dance with AR tech to unveil the city’s past.

Director、Promotion Photographer
A dramatic headshot of actor Mohammad Kashif Ali for Rooftop Productions' contemporary theatre piece, 'Testimony'. The portrait features a striking light projection of rocky mountain terrain mapped onto the right side of his face and neck, set against a soft-focus urban background that evokes the layered storytelling of modern Hong Kong theatre. The actor maintains a neutral, pensive expression, embodying the introspective nature of the production. 'Testimony'
Best Scenography
Performance of the Year

Testimony

15/8/2019 至 18/8/2019

Testimony is a powerful devised work exploring the invisible history of Hong Kong's South Asian community, challenging systemic exclusion through art.

Musician、Promotion Photographer、Music Director、Director
Key visual for Rooftop Productions' contemporary theatre performance, 'The Furies Variations'. Actor Yau Fuk Wing is depicted as a classical figure holding a set of scales, his body partially dissolving into digital, glitch-like fragments against a dramatic dual-tone red and blue background. The aesthetic emphasizes themes of justice and modern psychological fragmentation. 'The Furies Variations, Key Visual'
Best Scenography

The Furies Variations

7/12/2018 至 9/12/2018

The Furies Variations is a devised theatre piece reimagining justice through Aeschylus, Kafka, and live rock. Explore morality, law, and our society.

Promotion Photographer、Musician、Director、Music Director
A close-up studio portrait of actor Karen C. Siu, captured for Rooftop Productions' 2017 stage play 'Not The Maids'. She is peering through a narrow vertical gap between two white panels, her face illuminated in high contrast against a dark background. Her expression is calm yet inquisitive, emphasizing the themes of surveillance and identity explored in this contemporary Hong Kong theatre production. Photo by Ivor Houlker. 'Not The Maids'

Not The Maids

11/8/2017 至 13/8/2017

Not The Maids is a devised theatre production deconstructing the identities of Hong Kong's domestic workers, reclaiming their lives beyond the labels.

Director、Promotion Photographer
A dramatic, atmospheric close-up portrait of Hong Kong actor Ng King Lung from the Rooftop Productions contemporary theatre piece, Lost Shoreline. His profile is illuminated against a deep teal, underwater-like backdrop filled with tiny floating particles, evoking themes of environmental loss and memory. His expression is contemplative and melancholic, capturing the artistic essence of this avant-garde Hong Kong stage performance. "Lost Shoreline"

Lost Shoreline

22/4/2017 至 2/5/2017

Explore Lost Shoreline: an immersive audio-walk performance in Yau Ma Tei. Use GPS to uncover the city’s hidden history and the cost of urban renewal.

App Designer and Programmer、Promotion Photographer
Close-up promotional poster for Rooftop Productions' contemporary theatre piece 'Milk and Honey: Songs of the Sacred and Profane'. The high-key photography features two performers with their eyes closed, their faces completely coated in a thick, glistening layer of golden honey that drips down onto their shoulders, creating a surreal, mask-like effect. The lighting emphasizes the viscous texture of the honey and the calm, contemplative expressions of the actors, evoking themes of migration and the 'promised land'. 'A striking, evocative key visual poster for Rooftop Productions' song theatre piece, 'Milk and Honey: Songs of the Sacred and Profane', exploring themes of migration and the 'promised land'. The artwork features visceral, close-up, high-key photography of performers Billy Sy, Ivor Houlker, Lung Jes, and Michelle Li. A thick, glistening layer of honey covers their faces, creating a provocative, mask-like effect that echoes the production's exploration of sweetness and desire on a long march. The poster is framed by a clean white border. Large, distressed white Traditional Chinese characters displaying the title (流奶與蜜之地) are positioned across the center, contrasting sharply with the honeyed faces.'
Best Stage Effect

Milk and Honey

17/7/2016 至 20/7/2016

Milk and Honey is a unique song theatre piece by Rooftop Productions. Exploring migration through myths and 20+ global folk songs, are you satisfied?

Director、Collaborating Actor、Promotion Photographer
Promotional poster for Rooftop Productions' contemporary Hong Kong theatre play, 'The Beautiful Ones' (行為淪喪). A young woman with long, dark hair wears a white, intricate lace dress. Her face and neck are marked with striking purple paint. She stands against a light, dotted background with faint, ghost-like imagery of mice, holding a small white mouse in her right hand and a small mirror reflecting her own face in her left hand, capturing an eerie, surreal aesthetic typical of experimental stage performance. 'The Beautiful Ones.'
Best Stage Effect

The Beautiful Ones

11/12/2015 至 20/12/2015

The Beautiful Ones is a site-specific immersive theatre experience, blending audio tours and physical performance to explore human isolation in urbanity.

Promotion Photographer、Director、Collaborating Actor、App Designer and Programmer

Awards & Recognition

Awards and recognition for shows or achievemenets

Winner of

Script / Playwright of the Year

IATC (HK) Critics Awards 2025

Winner of

Best Original Music (Drama)

33rd Hong Kong Drama Awards

Winner of

Award for Young Artist (Drama)

The 16th Hong Kong Arts Development Awards (2021)

Nominated for

Director of the Year

IATC (HK) Critics Awards 2024

Nominated for

Best Director

33rd Hong Kong Drama Awards

Nominated for

Director of the Year

IATC (HK) Critics Awards 2022

Nominated for

Best Script

12th Hong Kong Theatre Libre (2019-2020)

Nominated for

Best Director

12th Hong Kong Theatre Libre (2019-2020)

Nominated for

Best Director

10th Hong Kong Theatre Libre (2017-2018)

Nominated for

Best Director

9th Hong Kong Theatre Libre (2016-2017)

Nominated for

Best Director

8th Hong Kong Theatre Libre (2015-2016)

What Critics Say

Quotes from reviews and articles about us and our shows

The script draws heavily on materials related to Shakespeare and various versions of his plays, using the era of Shakespeare to reflect different phenomena in contemporary society. Through adaptation, blending Cantonese, Canton opera, and English lyrics, and by exploring the musicality of language, it highlights the script’s intertextuality while also expressing the work’s aesthetic style.

— IATC (HK)

Rooftop Productions, a pioneer in local arts technology development, was established in 2014. It gives novel and unique performances, and has proved the possibility of online theatrical performances during the pandemic. The duo often travels overseas for exchange and performances, introducing techniques and creative methods of independent theatres to the local productions. The group addresses social issues and refreshing topics through drama and continues to promote and explore alternative theatre. Their works are worthy of expectation with their edge in the growing trend of arts technology.

— Hong Kong Arts Development Council

The work sincerely reflects the fruits of the director's and actors' understanding and interaction, using their growth as the main context for creation, giving a voice back to young people. The creation retains space for "improvisation," but does so through clever pre-rehearsal techniques that allow the performance to be effectively presented. The creators can skillfully respond to the present without betraying their artistic intentions, which is a remarkably smart approach.

— IATC (HK)

The directors combine devising and different media in this work, allowing student-performers to tell their life stories and deliver a heartfelt performance. The directors show a solid command of form, as reflected in the use of anime songs and drumming machine to evoke multiple narratives. The projection is extraordinary where the visuals can be projected from almost any angle or position. The entire performance is a colourful spectacle.

— IATC (HK)

Articles

Check out the articles written by Ivor Houlker

Drama for Schools

We can guide your students through the process of creating a quality drama or musical performance for drama competitions or school events.

— Ivor Houlker, Michelle Li

What can we learn from online streamed theatre?

And when theatres are open, what new things can we bring back? Are they a gimmick or will we end up changing our approach entirely? We'll see, I guess.

— Ivor Houlker

What is Song Theatre?

Song theatre is different from music theatre and musical theatre: it doesn't have the same genre conventions.

— Ivor Houlker

Theatre vs Drama: What's the difference?

Theatre and drama seem so closely related that despite all radical transformations of theatre, the concept of drama is still the normative idea of theatre.

— Ivor Houlker

Making App-based Theatre

Lost Shoreline, more than a year later, relied on an app for the whole show to function, with significantly more complex interaction and structure.

— Ivor Houlker

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