Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Song of the Goat Theatre from Poland will perform in Hong Kong for the first time with its Edinburgh Fringe First award-winning play “Songs of Lear” at the Leisure and Cultural Services Department’s “European Theatres in Resonance” in early February. The work reimagines Shakespeare’s classic tragedy as a soul-stirring dramatic oratorio, interweaving fragments of Shakespeare’s text with original music, polyphonic singing, performers’ movements and minimal staging into a poetic narrative. It distills the emotional and spiritual essence of “King Lear” in a bold contemporary light to create an immersive experience that resonates with the audience.
“King Lear” stands as one of Shakespeare’s four great tragedies, recounting the tale of an ageing King Lear who divides his kingdom among his two flattering elder daughters. After abdication, he is cruelly mistreated by them, resulting in his exile to the wilderness, where he descends into madness. His sincere youngest daughter, who seeks to rescue him with her army, is defeated and perishes, leading Lear to succumb to grief and die. The play profoundly explores the intricate and fragile nature of human existence, revealing the poignant sense of helplessness and sorrow in the face of fate. “Songs of Lear” was inspired by artist Kandinsky’s principles of “improvisation” and “structure” while pursuing an investigation of the “colour of sound”, creating a series of “song-paintings” to capture the emotional landscapes of scenes from “King Lear”.
Directed by the company’s co-founder Grzegorz Bral, the production features 11 performer-vocalists and includes 12 original compositions expanding upon key moments from Shakespeare’s tragedy. The performance is framed by Bral’s narrative between songs (called “paintings” in the play) serving to orientate audiences within the story. The 12 songs are compositions created by Polish multi-instrumentalist Maciej Rychły and celebrated Corsican composer Jean-Claude Acquaviva, blending Corsican folk music with Gregorian chants to weave rich and cross-cultural music. The accompaniment is remarkably minimalist, featuring only a set of drumheads, an Indian harmonium, a kora (West African harp lute) and a nyckelharpa. In addition, the meticulously crafted choral arrangements are punctuated by blasts of intense percussion, intertwined with exquisite harmonies and a cappella singing. Together, the performance creates a layered and evocative soundscape that resonates with the emotional core of “King Lear”. With the simplest stage setup and costume, it allows every gesture, subtle movement and expression of the performers to bring out the astonishing musicality and tension inherent in Shakespeare’s text.
“Songs of Lear” had its world premiere during the 2012 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where it swept three major awards, namely The Scotsman Fringe First, Herald Archangel, and Musical Theatre Matters awards. It subsequently toured numerous cities across Europe, Asia and the Americas to widespread acclaim.
Song of the Goat Theatre, founded in 1996, has been hailed as the most innovative of the new Avant-garde theatre movements in Poland. Continuing the long tradition of Polish ensemble theatre work, the company has devised a unique performance style. Each production is different, yet they share a similar approach of combining movements, vocals, song and text, which are interchangeable elements in its acting co-ordination technique. Bral, co-founder and artistic director of the company, is also the creator of the Bral Acting Method. He is active as an educator and his acting method has influenced artists and institutions worldwide. He has received the Honorary Order from the Polish Minister of Culture and National Heritage for his artistic and educational contributions.
“Songs of Lear” by Song of the Goat Theatre (Poland) will be held at 8pm on February 6 and 7 (Friday and Saturday), and at 3pm on February 8 (Sunday) at the Theatre of Hong Kong City Hall. The play has English narration with Chinese and English surtitles, while the songs will be performed in multiple languages (Latin, Coptic and English). Tickets priced at $380 and $480 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7325 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/theatre/programs_1927.html. Both performances on February 6 and 7 will be followed by a meet-the-artist session (conducted in English). Audience members are welcome to stay behind to join.
The programme will also feature two theatre workshops (conducted in English) on February 4 and 8 (Wednesday and Sunday) at 7.30pm at the Rehearsal Hall, 7/F, Sheung Wan Civic Centre. Led by director Bral and performer Alicja Bral, the workshops will explore Bral’s renowned acting method and offer unique insights into the theatrical creation process. Tickets priced at $200 are now available at URBTIX. For details, please refer to the above-mentioned website.