The Beautiful Ones Review (IATC)

The small theater, while unable to present the grandeur of a large theater, brings performers closer to the audience, making them feel as if they are part of the play. It also provides an opportunity to explore possibilities. It has been said that drama originates from ancient sacrificial rituals; thus, a theatrical performance is itself a ritual. On this night, Rooftop Productions's first work, The Beautiful Ones, perfectly fulfilled a ritual that encourages reflection on human relationships.

This performance was divided into two parts: the first being a community tour and the second a theatrical performance, offering a fresh theater experience. Before the performance, the production team asked the audience to install their developed app on their mobile phones. Accompanied by staff, they listened to audio navigation from the app while visiting parks and alleys in San Po Kong. During the process, the audio navigation not only guided the audience's route but also provided relevant information along the way to prepare them for the second half of the performance. One memorable moment was entering the Rainbow Road playground, where the audio navigation introduced the buildings across the street constructed from private estates, public housing, and housing estates, explaining how humans establish class through housing. Life in Hong Kong is often too hurried; much of the time is spent in a busy daze, causing people to overlook the small details around them. This part allowed the audience to reconnect with the community and find their connections with one another.

The second half returned to the black box theater for the evening's performance. At the beginning, the Greek god Zeus (played by Ivor Houlker) led the three Valkyries (played by Michelle Li, Yip Ka-Yan, and Leung Ho-Yi) in a polyphonic singing and dance routine, accompanied by the rhythm of drumming on oil barrels. With the subsequent entrance of an interloper (played by Tang Hiu-Fung), this journey exploring human relationships began. The elements of the performance were primarily derived from American ethologist John B. Calhoun's mouse utopia experiment and Greek mythology, using these stories to provoke reflection on the original existence of human relationships and the subsequent development of social classes, further allowing the audience to project their thoughts on Hong Kong's social situation.

This performance did not follow the traditional theatrical format with a clear story. Instead, the actors presented various propositions through movement and brief dialogue. The physicality of the performers was captivating; from their portrayals, the audience could easily see the coordination and chemistry among them. One unforgettable scene was about the "dominant," where in Calhoun's mouse utopia, the strong are referred to as the dominant. The actor Ivor Houlker, as Zeus, moved into the space of other performers (the mice) to become the dominant figure, while others vied to "overthrow" him. Two performers clutched his arms, and as he lifted his arms, they were raised off the ground, creating a breathtaking balance that effectively expressed the dominance.

Regarding the set design, since the performance venue was not a traditional proscenium stage but a unit in a factory building, the stage design and audience seating could be flexibly adjusted. The audience area was set up along the walls of the theater on elevated platforms, requiring staff to provide aluminum ladders for access. The performance area was a rectangular space surrounded by these platforms, giving a sense of observing from a distance. I remember that in some Western avant-garde theaters, there was a stage design where the performance area resembled an operating room, with the audience seating similarly designed to make them part of the performance, acting as high and cold observers. This performance also successfully gave me a similar feeling, as if recreating the experimental scene of the mouse utopia, further resonating with and highlighting the theme of class.

Lastly, I must mention the live music and polyphonic singing. Various music in the performance was played live using instruments made by the performers from everyday "waste," such as drums made from oil barrels and flutes made from metal tubes, which brought a primitive feel to the performance. Additionally, the performers spent a significant amount of time singing Georgian polyphonic songs, infusing a sense of ethnicity into the performance.

In summary, the various elements of The Beautiful Ones created a harmonious ritual that appeared simple but was meticulously pieced together by one intricate component after another. I would describe the production team as having calculated everything precisely, from the environmental theater in the first half to the performance in the second half, ensuring that what the audience could observe, feel, and reflect upon was all accurately measured. It made me feel as if I were a spectator or a mouse in an experiment. I believe this performance would be more accessible to audiences who have not previously engaged with or understood experimental theater.