“There is a richness when we let colors of each devisor shine through, with both their authentic human agency and fictitious elements blurring.”
WHO: Eugene (creator and director) & Dorothy (line producer, actor, co-writer)
WHAT: “Three Gen Z Hong Kong actors hustle for stardom – will they shamelessly scam your ticket by just lying flat or will they blow your mind and shine? A daring, hilarious rollercoaster where ambition meets absurdity. Critically-acclaimed director Eugene Ma invites you to a smart, witty play where young people navigate the chaos of hustle and quiet quitting. Watch as these dreamers wrestle with their voices, their pasts and the unpredictable journey ahead. A thrilling blend of sweat, rage, burnout and moments of hope – come along for a wild, unforgettable ride!”
WHERE: Studio at theSpace @ Niddry St (Venue 9)
WHEN: 12:00 (40 min)
MORE: Click Here!
Is this your first time to Edinburgh?
E: Indeed our virginal Edinburgh voyage! Having directed primarily in more curated spaces, I’m thrilled to encounter the lored cross-pollinating culture at EdFringe, where most people who show up are there for the love of the performing arts and the very real humans hold space for our stories and shared humanity, a rare feat in our social media culture! We want new friends and collaborators — hopefully even meeting special humans who change our trajectories in one way or another!
D: As an actor, I hope to be inspired by the works and worldviews of other artists we will meet. As well as bringing in our own worldview to the table — as in Dance Dance Involution we make space for Gen Z’s voices. Our Hong Kong Female Gen Z voices who happen to be actresses, navigating their careers through hustle culture, no foreseen financial stability and a rapid shift in the entertainment industry. We ask ourselves, what makes us so stuck as supposed creatives right now?
So yes, first time. Hopefully not the last and hopefully it won’t blow the bank. (It will, and it will be worth it!
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
E: I’ve begun to turn my career from for-hire directing jobs and institutional teaching to a model that includes more community building, incubation and mentorship, as well as facilitating works and conversations that raise the contextual understanding of the self with artists I work with. More juicy process and space for human convening and less result-orientation, hoping for a more juicy and unexpected end result! I’ve learned that while it’s thrilling to sit through an event with a singular and driving event through a directors’ lens; there is a richness when we let colors of each devisor shine through, with both their authentic human agency and fictitious elements blurring~ That visceral multiplicity is something I don’t see AI catching up to any time soon, and something I cherish more and more of! Also an appreciation of voices that are coming after mine, who were supposedly there to learn from me. Seeing how they curate their online images blew my mind in understanding how the self is constructed and “managed” now, and understand a little more my context as a live work maker. How can I exploit and subvert these properties in a surprising and bombastic piece? (Come and find out!)
Tell us about your show.
E: The premise is simple and real – I originally gathered three former students to make a show and dig deep to scream something into the world. The first week of devising was brutally dry; nothing seems to stick — and we tried everything: using text prompts, viewpoint compositions, bringing in songs or visual inspirations… Then I’d flipped the prompt around to explore what about our upbringing and education stunted our ability creative generation, while exploring the notions of lying flat and involution in hustle culture, when original devisor Sheena Chan brought in an article that sparked glowing eyes and very personal stories in the room! That’s when we knew where the lightening bolt would live!
This is a new piece, and the first piece from Deliberate Collision, my new international and third culture theater company centered in Hong Kong after my decades in North America. As I wish to make space and support voices that live outside of the traditional Cantonese theater, one that can aptly dialogue with the world’s zeitgeist from the Hong Kong point of view. So this piece is made for that purpose, first and foremost, and we have the honor of presenting our first piece in its first draft in Edinburgh!! Then we will further develop the piece into another iteration in Cantonese down the road, and run it in tandem with the English language version.
What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?
E: We really want to shed light on two other shows coming to Edinburgh with us. It’s serendipitous that Asia base is bringing three shows from Hong Kong, among other shows from Taiwan — and all three focuses on the female experience from the lenses in different phases. Ah-Ma zooms in on aging and the fading of memories; and Dots lives in a middle aged space as Annie contends with the high functioning depressive experience. All Hong Kong women! But seen through different times and ages!! Conveniently in consecutive time slots, before and after our show! Come and weave the full picture together, then have a conversation with us! Xx
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