Playwright Matthew Cheng and Director Fong Chun Kit Bring AMBIGUOUS to HK Rep

If an ambiguous relationship appears outside your marriage, do you dare pursue it? Playwright of such fine HKRep dramas as The Last Supper, The Sin Family and Auspicious Day, Matthew Cheng pens a story about a married man and a married woman that is perhaps ephemeral, inspiring the audience to ponder the meaning of matrimony. Auspicious is directed by HKRep Resident Director Fong Chun Kit, featuring Lau Shau Ching, Yiyi Zhao, ManMan Kwok and Chow Wai Keung. The production runs between 15th and 24th October at the Hong Kong City Hall Theatre. Tickets are available now from POPTICKET and URBTIX outlets.

The story of Ambiguous begins outside a kindergarten. Misunderstandings stemming from "stealing a peek" and a broken mobile phone draw middle-aged Chan Chi Yung (played by Lau Shau Ching) and housewife Wang Xia (played by Yiyi Zhao) together, and a furtive connection follows. The world of married couples does not always feature high drama. Snippets of daily life that appear normal and cordial may harbor heinous undercurrents. Will a sparrow that accidentally falls on the ground stay entrapped in its relationship? Or would it embark on an escapade?

Playwright Matthew Cheng has a keen eye that draws inspiration from ordinary life, moulding stories that are down-to-earth yet heart-wrenching. He states, "Quite a few years ago, I would pick up my children from kindergarten every day at noon. It turned out that this seemingly innocuous action attracted the attention of quite a few women. Such musings inspired me to create a play that boils down to this idiom: 'Any resemblance of actual events or persons is entirely accidental'."

Director Fong Chun Kit equates the relationship between the protagonists with the modern term "soulmate". According to him, "Modern marriages now are often no longer cut-and-dry, because too many things complicate the matter. Hidden behind marriages depicted in this play are quite a few unresolvable conflicts and problems. Hence the characters' desire for a soul mate."

Following The Last Supper and Auspicious Day, Fong Chun Kit directs Matthew Cheng's newest drama. The two artists are long-time working partners. Their rapport will surely bring us another exciting show.

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