In 1995, while in Florence, Italy, Victor and Mandy overheard a couple next door embroiled in an altercation – all in Cantonese. What could induce this honeymooning couple to fight like this? Will the conflict in an enclosed space accentuate the contradictions in a relationship?
Family and communication was the main theme of this dance theatre production. Living in the same room does not necessarily mean sharing a life; so what does it mean to “live together”? What is that something beyond material pleasures? The scenic environment of Not a Double Room blended the lifelike with the imagined, the realistic with the abstract; real table and chairs stood amongst collages of toilet, sofa and other furniture. Text, spoken words, visuals, sound design, drama and dance elements created a room somewhere between reality and illusion. As the mundane details of the couple’s daily living accumulated, the slightest tension snapped the cord. But as they each packed their bags to escape, their fear of the outside – perhaps of reality itself – brought them back to the double room! Would tomorrow bring something new, or a repeat performance? The work was open-ended, guiding the viewer towards reflections on how to face oneself and each other with honesty.
Production Team
Director & Set Designer: Hema
Choreographers: Victor Choi-wo Ma & Mandy Ming-yin Yim
Performers: Victor Choi-wo Ma, Mandy Ming-yin Yim, Luke Ma, Song Nan (2010), Christine Kehr (2010), Max Lee (2010), Alice Ma (2010), Zheng Lingmin (2017), Crystal Chung (2017), Wang Haian (2017) & Zhou Zihan (2017)
Lighting Designer: Yu Wai Hung (1995, 1997), Dang Chai Li (1996), Aman Chan (1998) & Gabriel Fung (2010)
Costume & Props Designer: Hema & Luke Ma
Video Designer: Adrian Yeung (2010)
Producer: Mandy Ming-yin Yim
Reviews and Feedback
They had a kind of vaudeville humour.Their smark body language made physical screechings, diatribes, and howlings in what must have been a dream.
Tom Borek
South China Morning Post