An Interview with Theatre Ronin

Hong Kong’s Alex Tam Hung-man, brings his prestigious art group & a brand new production to the Edinburgh Fringe

Hello Alex can you tell us where you’re from, & where you are living today?
I am from Hong Kong and have lived in Hong Kong for 50 years since the 1970s.

When did you first develop an interest into the arts?
In the 1990s of Hong Kong, theatre productions gained the attention of Hong Kong people. This was the time that I became interested in theatre art. The theatre productions at that time were very diverse, including mainstream and more experimental ones. I liked experimental and contemporary theatre performances.

Can you tell us about your training in the arts?
I graduated with two Bachelor of Arts Degrees in directing and in set and costume design (First Hons) respectively from Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts.

Who, in the arts, has inspired you the most?
Hong Kong literature inspires me the most, because from Hong Kong literature, you can feel many subtle, beautiful, and distinctive characters and environments. Transforming and interpreting these states into theatre performances gives the audience a sense of being there. This is what I am most passionate and interested about.

Video of past productions

Can you tell us about Theatre Ronin?
Theatre Ronin is a professional art group that mainly adapts Hong Kong literature and culture for theatrical performances. It was established in 2006 and is now one of the funding groups of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council. Every year we have performances locally and overseas. We have performed in places including Beijing, Shenzhen, Taipei, Taichung, Argentina, Avignon, and Edinburgh.

What are the composite parts of a typical Theatre Ronin productions?
Theatre Ronin’s performances first emphasise literary, and we will focus on whether the content of the story resonates with modern people. In addition, we focus on performativity. For example, including live music to our performance this time will enhance the performativity of the entire performance. Performers and audience will synchronise at the same time and space as well.

You are bringing a show to the Edinburgh Fringe, can you tell us all about it?
The Mariana Trench is based on the story of an occupation “majie” who once appeared in Hong Kong. The story begins with a modern young man reminiscing about his “majie” who once took care of him. The stories intertwine with each other through two monologues, showing that they have moments of loneliness in any era.

Why two monologues?
The most interesting thing about this performance is, the two monologues do not appear separately but intersect with each other. The performance then can be carried out in two different times and spaces at the same time, and explore the same vibe.

The monologue is a difficult, yet fertile field of performance – what are its principle nuances?
In order to break through difficulties in performing monologues and make it more layered, we specially include live music to the performance. Through the actors and musicians communicating with each other in the moment, we aim to make the inner interpretation more
plentiful.

Why specifically did you choose 1960’s Hong Kong as the play’s era?
First, the “majie” industry was prosperous in the 1950s – 1960s, so we wanted to show their living conditions. Although life was very difficult at that time, there were actually many beautiful moments. Secondly, it is always wonderful for modern people to recall a period of time in the past.

When you visit Edinburgh, what are you looking forward to most about engaging with both the Fringe & the city itself?
Edinburgh is a place with a great historical and cultural atmosphere. I hope to be more exposed to cultural and experimental works here, and have in-depth communication with the artists who created these works. Of course, the most important thing is to talk about performances together, share things that interest each other in a comfortable restaurant, with the accompaniment of wine.

You bump into somebody in the streets of Edinburgh & have 20 seconds to sell your show – what do you say?
If you want to feel the vibe of Hong Kong in the 1960s, if you want to feel the charm of Hong Kong’s contemporary theatre, I hope you will come and see our performance!

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