'We have 55 things to show you, but it’s not the time yet.'

 

We cannot stop making works. We are going CRAZY. 

 

Questioning what performance can do for us, as migrant queer artist, in the age of political turmoil in our homeland and this land.
 

Watc us pitch 55 ideas in 20 minutes. Yes, 55 ideas and they are all at the initial stage. Maybe all are trash. Maybe we are doing a world tour next year. Catch us at the starting line.
 

*****************

 

The house light was turned on and our friend, Bettina Fung, came to the stage. With tears in her eyes, she said. “I laughed so much but I also feel so sad. This show is almost like your artistic statement.”

 

**

 

Earlier on stage, we were standing downstair with two mic stands and a lectern with my macbook on it; we were presenting a powerpoint about our previous works, showing the posters and the photos; we were dancing with no music; we were lip-synching; we were sitting with the audience, watching a archive news report with the audience. 

 

**

 

We spent two days at Omnibus Theatre, just the two of us. We were there looking at archive footage of our previous production, looking at new plans and proposals for our upcoming shows. We then started building cues with photos, videos, and music clips. We were teaching ourselves to sing a Cantonese song in English.

 

As migrant artists from Hong Kong, what is the drive for us to keep making work after work? What is pushing us to move, dance, talk, write? Is it our anxiety towards the ungraspable and unpredictable world, or the desire to tell the world that we are here and we have something to say?

 

**

 

We were just standing there, listening to an audio clip we recorded on the street of Hong Kong, when the people started running on the street, and a water cannon truck, three-story tall, drove towards us. 

 

People yelled. “Run!”  

 

Some others yelled. “Calm down!” 

 

Loud siren.

 

Loud broadcast of a stern male voice in Cantonese.

 

I went to the lectern and hit the spacebar for the next cue on Qlab.

 

**

 

Another audience member, female, white, came to us. “It was so funny. I understood some and am still thinking about some. I feel so much for you.”

 

**

 

We stepped on stage, set up the lectern with my Macbook and put two mic stands at the edge of the stage. 

 

“Hello. This is Ghost and John. And this is We Have 55 Things To Show You, But It’s Not The Time Yet.”

 

**

 

We need more time and space. There is so much more to say. There is so much to show.

​

Footage of previous show at Omnibus Theatre for Engine Room:

https://youtu.be/yxRKrZbKWXw