Plays for Young People is a unique project that aims to nurture local translators and fresh writers creating quality translated or original plays for young people. This project connects participants to overseas playwrights and dramaturgs, veteran translators and local directors.

Join the Plays for Young People III symposium. Meet overseas playwrights and dramaturgs, veteran translators and local directors for their insights on writing, translating, adapting and directing plays for young people, and on challenges and opportunities in the theatre world in the post-COVID-19 era.

Free Public Session I

Livid with COVID?

The disruption by COVID-19 has sent the theatre world spinning globally. Young people have had it very hard. From two of the best networked arts professionals, Jonathan Meth and Joe Sidek, find out how young people can meet the realities of the pandemic to find relevance and meaning through theatre.

Speakers: Jonathan Meth (London), Joe Sidek (Penang)

Facilitator: Lynn Yau (Hong Kong)

Revelations

Translator Prof Jane Lai and Director Dr Vicki Ooi are close friends, and they are important figures in the history of translation and drama in Hong Kong. Revealing the secret of over 50 years of successful cooperation, they share their experiences and visions in translating, adapting and directing plays in Hong Kong.

Speakers: Prof Jane Lai (Hong Kong), Dr Vicki Ooi (Hong Kong)

Facilitator: Lynn Yau (Hong Kong)

Date: 22 Oct

Time: 7:30 – 9:30 pm (HKT)

Venue: Sai Wan Ho Civic Centre Cultural Activities Hall 

Language: English

Free Public Session II

A Separate Take

Have you ever wondered how plays actually materialise? Playwright, translator, director, dramaturg and producer all play a role. Who has the last say?

Speakers: Khairi Anwar (Kuala Lumpur), Lin Meng Huan (Taichung), Olga Macrinci (Chișinău), Jonathan Meth (London), Chinonyerem Odimba (London), Dr Vicki Ooi (Hong Kong), Joe Sidek (Penang), Julia Wan (Hong Kong)

Facilitator: Lynn Yau (Hong Kong)

Date: 23 Oct

Time: 7:30 – 9:30 pm (HKT)

Venue: Sai Wan Ho Civic Centre Cultural Activities Hall 

Language: English with some Putonghua

Participating playwrights:

• Khairi Anwar (Kuala Lumpur)
  • IQ.Rock (Theme: Education in a Malaysian Village)
• Lin Meng Huan (Taichung)
  • E.S.D.F. (Theme: Earth & Humans)
• Olga Macrinici (Chișinău)
  • Docuanimal (Theme: Humans & Animals)
• Chinonyerem Odimba (London)
  • The Sweetness of a Sting (Theme: Identity & Nature)
• Dr Vicki Ooi (Hong Kong) & Thomas Lawson (London)
  • Grimm Adventures – A Reimagination of Grimm’s Fairy Tales
    (Theme: Good vs Evil & Teamwork)
• And others

Veteran Translators

• Dominic Cheung Ho Kin (Artistic Director, Chung Ying Theatre)
• Julia Wan (Part-time Lecturer, Department of English Language & Literature, Hong Kong Baptist University)
• Wu Hoi Fai (Artistic Director, Pants Theatre Production)

Coordinators

• Jonathan Meth (Founder, The Fence, an international network for working playwrights across Europe)
• Joe Sidek (Chairman, Federation for Asian Cultural Promotion & Festival Director, Malaysia George Town Festival, Butterworth Fringe Festival, Rainforest Fringe Festival)

The presenter reserves the right to postpone, cancel, modify the programme format or substitute artists