Hong Kong performing arts group Fire Makes Us Human has announced it will suspend operations, after a school venue it planned to use for two forthcoming productions was pulled following government pressure.
The decision announced on Tuesday came days after the non-profit group revealed last week that a school it had hired performance space from to put on two plays was told by the Education Bureau to cancel the lease agreement.
The Hong Kong Institute of Contemporary Culture Lee Shau Kee School of Creativity (HKICC) told HKFP last Thursday that the bureau had cited its updated guidelines on national security in making the cancellation request.
The bureau had allegedly received reports concerning “inappropriate remarks” made by the group founder Alex Tong on “controversial and sensitive issues.” Neither the school nor the bureau would reveal what the reported complaints related to.
Under the guidelines, schools should “prevent inappropriate use of school premises,” including in situations where facilities were rented out to external organisations and when external individuals are invited to participate in school events, the bureau said.
One of the cancelled plays was about a group of artists who shared a dream in front of a broken art work. The other depicted a group of losers as they reflected on their situation during an armed robbery. Both were to be performed by young actors aged 17 to 30.
‘Reluctance’
In a social media post shared on Tuesday, the group said the actors and crew members involved in the cancelled productions spent three months preparing for the shows. The venue cancellation, which came three days before the performances were scheduled to begin, was “an outcome we never could have imagined,” it said.
Members of the group had wanted to create a space where like-minded individuals could develop artistic creations “with dignity.” Although the group said it could overcome different obstacles, losing the right to access their space and losing the space for expression meant that it was hard for them to present members’ ideals.
“At this moment, rather than describing it as regrettable, heart-wrenching, and sorrowful, the greatest feeling would be reluctance [to accept the outcome],” the Chinese post read.
Play cancelled
On Monday, the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts (HKAPA) announced that a graduation show featuring the play Accidental Death of an Anarchist had been cancelled due to “changes in the Academy’s production plan.”
It said refund arrangements would be announced later.
“We apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank you for your understanding,” the English notice read.
The production by HKAPA graduates based on the play written by Nobel Prize winner Dario Fo was scheduled to be performed between mid-February and early March. Local media reported on Tuesday that some of those involved said they felt “helpless” and were “speechless” about the cancelled performance.
According to a list compiled by online popular culture news platform Wave., the play had been performed in Hong Kong and mainland China many times since 1998.
Drama awards funding axed
Last month, the Hong Kong Arts Development Council (HKADC) withdrew funding for an annual drama awards ceremony after supporting it for 24 years.
The government statutory body cited “inappropriate” arrangements at last year’s event, saying the awards organiser – Hong Kong Federation of Drama Societies – had invited “then-controversial” cartoonist Wong Kei-kwan, better known by his pen name Zunzi, and ex-RTHK documentary producer Bao Choy to present the awards.
The pair was said to have mentioned “red bridge” and “red line” when they presented the awards, and the funding had to be axed to show the council’s “unacceptance,” the body said.
Beijing inserted national security legislation directly into Hong Kong’s mini-constitution in June 2020 following a year of pro-democracy protests and unrest. It criminalised subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces and terrorist acts – broadly defined to include disruption to transport and other infrastructure. The move gave police sweeping new powers and led to hundreds of arrests amid new legal precedents, while dozens of civil society groups disappeared. The authorities say it restored stability and peace to the city, rejecting criticism from trade partners, the UN and NGOs.
Correction 4pm, 17/2/24: A previous version of this article incorrectly referred to Dario Fu, as opposed to Dario Fo. We apologise to Mr Fo for the error.
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