Seven Boxes Possessed of Kafka (2021)

A Director Work of Andrew Chan

22/8/2021 3pm

Theatre, Sai Wan Ho Civic Centre

In Cantonese with Chinese and English surtitles

*The Arts Administration Internship Scheme supported by Hong Kong Arts Development Council
^With the kind permission of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts

Message from Director

26 years ago, when I was still a student of the Directing course at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, my classmates and I worked with backstage and lighting students under the supervision of Anthony Chan, Course Leader, on a show which exhibited three versions of the same excerpt from A Dream Play at McAulay Studio of the Hong Kong Arts Centre. My memory about why that excerpt was chosen is already blurry. Was it I who suggested it? I have forgotten why that part, but only remember the scenes of rehearsal. The chosen episode was Act 1 Scene 3, the scene about “waiting”.

I don’t know when I started missing this play.

I am waiting to meet it again.

26 years later, I could direct this play once again. Being seasoned, I could echo the messages of the play more and realise that I saw through them more thoroughly. With my religious belief in mind, I honour other religions and would like to look deeper into them. During rehearsal, I discovered that my will and mind set in pursuit of truth and the value of life was the same as that of the characters in the play, who desire to open the mysterious door.

Rehearsal is indeed a journey of discovery.

The message of the director is already laid out in the play.
I’d like to dedicate this play, one of my favourite, to you.
Of course, each of my director’s works is a sincere dedication.