A quick digest of the coolest weekend happenings in Hong Kong.
Friday, August 23
Stand-Up Comedy Night by The Comedy House
Disappointed that Trevor Noah canceled on us? Don’t worry, The Hive Wan Chai will be hosting four comedians who will be giving Hongkongers some much-needed cheer. The lineup includes American-born comedian Troy Lewis, the winner of the Shenzhen International Comedy Competition; Hong Kong comedian Matina Leung who performs in both English and Cantonese and often does sets about being a mom of two; Australian-Chinese comedian Ben Quinlan, the 2017 winner of the Hong Kong International Comedy Competition whose sets focus on living in Hong Kong, swearing in Cantonese, and the joys of having a Chinese mom; and Hong Kong-born Indian comedian Vivek Mahbubani, whose stand-up sets typically tackle issues Hong Kong-specific issues such as how racism manifests in the city.
8pm-10:30pm at The Hive Wan Chai, 21/F, Phoenix Building, 23 Luard Road, Wan Chai. HK$150 (Hive members) HK$250 (non-members); ticket price includes one drink.
Can anybody find me… a place in Hong Kong on Friday night that will play Queen music all night?
9:45pm-2:30am at Hard Rock Cafe Hong Kong, L/G, LKF Tower, 55 D’Aguilar Street, Central. Free.
Peel’s Summer Indie Indulgence
Local indie bands Esimorp, Mr Koo, and Dark Himaya will be performing at live music lounge Peel Fresco to kick off the weekend.
9pm at Peel Fresco Music Lounge, 49 G/F Peel Street, Sheung Wan. Free.
Eaton HK, Sally Coco and Reel Women Hong Kong collaborated to organize this nine-day event “dedicated to celebrating the power and beauty of women.” The festival will feature discussions on themes about the lives, experiences and perspectives of a diverse pool of women. There are sessions on dating, parenting, how to make your own face mask, and even how to write your own prenup. Events of note include Yummy Gummy, a special exhibition featuring work by seven local female artists whose works reflect on gender moulds and stereotypes we are so often forced into, and the possibility of resistance; the Hong Kong premier of Body Talk, a documentary which features conversations with 30 different women about their private experiences with their body; and an improv dance workshop called “Be Water.” Guest speakers include local singer-songwriter Serrini who will be talking about her journey as an indie musician; Asha Cuthbert, a Cantonese-speaking British-Filipino influencer who talks about taboo issues in Hong Kong from mental health to LGBTQ issues; and Crisel Consunji — the Filipino actress who was crowned best newcomer at this year’s Hong Kong Film Awards — who will be taking part in a panel discussion on the experiences of Filipino women.
Proceeds from ticketing income will go to Rainlily, a local crisis center for female victims of sexual violence, and for some programmes all net proceeds will go to a specific NGO.
12pm until Sunday, September 1 at Tomorrow Maybe, 4/F Eaton HK, 380 Nathan Road, Kowloon. Free, but some events are ticketed.
The Karin Weber Gallery will be hosting this exhibition which features work by six local Hong Kong artists presented in a briefcase. Each artist has chosen a vintage briefcase to create a unique piece of artwork, each one imbued with a sense of character and history passed down through the generations from picnic briefcases to one that has been transformed into a portable vinyl record player.
11am-7pm until Saturday, August 31 at Karin Weber Gallery, 20 Aberdeen Street, Central, SOHO. Free.
Saturday, August 24
The Big BandExpress Back to Fringe Dairy
The Big BandExpress is a 12 to 20 piece jazz orchestra founded in 2016 by trombonist, performing everything from big band favorites to special arrangements. Yvonne Barrie, Hulman Soaloon, and Marc Ngan will feature as guest soloists.
9:30pm-11:45pm at Fringe Dairy, 2 Lower Albert Road, Central. HK$230 (at the door), HK$200 (advance, Fringe members), HK$150 (students and concessions).
A weekend of comedy continues to fill up that Trevor Noah-shaped hole in your heart. Stand-up comedians taking to the stage includes Garron Chiu, Maitreyi Karanth, Ben Quinlan, Jason Strickland, Cassy Thomas and Tamby Chan.
8pm-10pm at The Nest, 4/F Grand Progress Building, 15-16 Lan Kwai Fong, Central. HK$250.
Whisky Lover Hong Kong: The Whisky Extravaganza
Nine types of whisky will be served at this Cantonese whisky workshop where you can learn more about whisky or just meet other fellow whisky lovers. The ticket price includes nine types of whisky served in 10ml cups, plus snacks.
7:30pm-9:30pm at Circa1913, Fringe Club, 1/F South Block, 2 Lower Albert Road, Central. HK$390 (Fringe members), HK$430 (non-Fringe members).
It’s apparently international dog day this weekend and Kommune will be celebrating by hosting a doggy brunch for you and your best friend. Every dog can enjoy our BYOB (Build Your Own Doggy Bowl) station with a complimentary “dogtail” of their choice, Puppy Colada or Watermelon Julep. They’ll feed the dog parents as well, we hear.
12pm-3pm until Sunday, August 25 at Komune, Ovolo Southside, 64 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Wong Chuk Hang. HK$338 (per person) HK$98 (per dog).
If you’re a fan of Whose Line is It Anyway, you’ll love this show, which involves people acting out unscripted scenes based on suggestions made by the audience. Seating is limited, and drinks will be available for purchase at the venue.
9pm-11pm at Steam Cafe and Studio, 4/F Si Toi Commercial Building, Queen Street, Sheung Wan. HK$130 (advance) HK$150 (at the door).
If you feel like doing something creative this weekend, Printer & Co. will be teaching a workshop on how to paint herbs in watercolor so that you can create your own botanical illustrations. You can bring your own watercolors and brushes, or use some of the workshop supplies. No prior experience in watercolor painting is required.
10:30am-1pm at Printer & Co. Atelier, Unit 1204, 18 King Wah Road, North Point. HK$500 (without stationery) HK$600 (with stationery).
Sunday, August 25
OUAT, Hong Kong Comics Touring Exhibition @Hong Kong
This exhibition shows the work of five Hong Kong comics artists and two groups of comics professionals, who are all passionate in building imaginary worlds in their works. Other than reading the comics, visitors can attend public talks and special sessions, as overseas comics artists and comics professionals are invited to host seminars and activities.
10am-6pm until September 3 at Hong Kong Arts Centre, 2 Harbour Road, Wan Chai. Free.
Since January 22, 2019, Hong Kong-based artist Rachel Smith has been filling one matchbox per day with a “visual commentary of the past 24 hours” — imagine a sort of micro-diorama. The project began as a coping mechanism for her growing anxiety and the panic attacks she started experiencing around the start of the year. The project was only meant to last 30 days, but Smith soon passed that mark, and the result is a visual diary in novel form. You can check out some of the matchboxes here.
10am to 7pm until September 29 at H307, Veranda, PMQ, 35 Aberdeen Street, Central. Free.
As Tai Kwun approaches its one year anniversary, it will be displaying 101 objects related to its previous life as the Central Police Station.
11am to 8pm until Thursday, September 22 at Duplex Studio LG1/F & LG2/F, Block 01 & Site-wide, Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Rd, Central. Free.
Takashi Murakami is a Japanese artist known for blurring the line between high and low art, and blending Japanese artistic traditions with post-war Japanese culture and society. Tai Kwun Contemporary presents this exhibition which will feature over 60 paintings and sculptures, from his large-scale post-apocalyptic works to his optimistic flower pieces to his contemplative Enso paintings, offering Buddhist visions of enlightenment. This exhibition will also showcase some of Murakami’s iconic and outlandish costume designs, which visitors will experience alongside other important video works, samples from his private art collection, and Murakami’s spectacular wall and floor art, which delivers a forceful yet complex visual impact.
10:30am to 7pm until Sunday, September 1 at Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Rd, Central. HK$75 (general, walk in) HK$60 (general, advance) HK$55 (concession, walk in) HK$45 (concession, advance).
Reader Interactions