Review: TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE at Rita Tong Liu Theatre, HKAPA

Presented by the Shanghai Commercial Bank, the stage adaptation of Mitch Albom’s bestselling book “Tuesdays with Morrie” opened on Friday 3rd November at the Rita Tong Liu Drama Theatre, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.

The play takes audiences on a profound and transformative journey that explores the meaning of life, as well as the importance of love, family, forgiveness, and purpose, as it follows the last conversations between Mitch, a jaded but successful sports journalist, and his old sociology professor, Morrie Schwartz, who is dying from a terminal motor neurone disease, ALS. The two are first seen saying their goodbyes at the university graduation before fast-forwarding 16 years later, where the two are reconnected after Mitch learns of his professor’s diagnosis through a late-night news programme one evening. Knowing he broke the promise to stay in touch, Mitch soon finds himself flying to Boston to visit Morrie. Yet, what was intended to be a one-time visit to help clear his conscience, Mitch soon commits to returning every Tuesday, where the two revive their old dynamic, and Morrie, through sharing his insights on life, helps Mitch to find himself and figure out what he wants out of life. 

This production stars Hong Kong theatre veteran Dominic CHEUNG as Morrie and actor and singer Alex FONG as Mitch. Cheung, who also serves as the director of this production, brings an easy charm to the character of Morrie. His performance is captivating and endearing, making it all the more heartbreaking when we watch the character go from this dance-loving, proud professor who is so joyful and full of zest to a man who eventually needs to depend on a wheelchair, succumbing to the loss of mobility brought about by this horrible disease. Cheung’s portrayal is so masterful as he shows through subtle changes the deterioration that comes with the illness, making audiences believe the transformation without thought. 

Fong, who made his theatre debut with this production, delivers a promising performance as Mitch. Initially, his performance as Mitch came across as a little over-enthusiastic, giving it a slight mismatch with the mid-thirties, high-achieving, career-driven character; however, as the interaction between Mitch and Morrie went on, Fong’s portrayal became more plausible - what we saw here was a conversation between a student and his teacher and that was where the focus should be. Regardless of how old we may be, or the social status we may have, when standing in front of our teachers, parents or elders, we often revert back to being the 'young', authentic versions of ourselves. Here, witnessing the interaction between the two, it was as if they were transported back to the old days at Brandeis University. Having overcome the initial apprehension and awkwardness of meeting his professor again, the character soon settles into the weekly meetings and over time, is able to drop the armour that he’s worn over the years, returning to that young, vulnerable self who is trying to figure out what he wants in life. Here, Fong does a brilliant job of handling that transition, allowing audiences to connect and empathise with his character.

Besides the performance of Cheung and Fong, Jan WONG’s set design is also worth commending. Adopting a simple and stripped-back approach, the set features only what is required - no extra bookcases or dated decor to remind audiences of Morrie’s professor status. What audiences see are simply a sofa area, a piano, desk, chair, a couple of books, and a turntable and fridge; yet every item is carefully placed, allowing the space to feel homely whilst appropriate for an elderly couple that is also access-friendly. Towards the end of the play, the set effortlessly converts into the final scenic location where Mitch continues his conversations with Morrie; however, without giving away spoilers, it is the in-between set that is the most memorable for me - a stark reminder that at the end of it all, all the tangible and materialistic things do not matter. 

Tuesdays with Morrie is a poignant play, particularly for the current times we live in. With conflicts happening around the world, society becoming more divisive, people becoming less tolerant, and the pace of life being quicker than ever, it calls us to re-think what really matters to us and what kind of life we want to live.

The conversations between Mitch and Morrie are a transformative journey that explores the true meaning of life, emphasising the importance of love, relationships, forgiveness, and living with intention. When asked what reminder or lesson they would like to share with audiences, Cheung chose ‘family’. “Family is one of the most important aspects of our lives. It defines who we are and shapes our development. Family is also a support system and bond for which we can rely upon. As for Fong, he settled for ‘purpose’ and ‘gift’: “Revisiting the script, I gained a new perspective on it. In the play, Morrie uses his life to influence others, and it reminded me of an interview that Keanu Reeves once did. In the interview, Reeves was asked, “What do you think happens when we die?” And his answer was: “I know that the ones who love us will miss us.” Find our own purpose and our gift.” Fong says, “This can be through work or building connections and memories with the people around us. Find that purpose and find that gift of yours. Share it with others, and don’t waste it because you never know how much time you have.”

In a place like Hong Kong, where it’s easy to find yourself running on auto-pilot or busy chasing what society tells us we should be going after, take a step back and pause. Ask yourself: “With our limited time on Earth, how will you live your life?” 

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Tuesdays with Morrie runs through November 12th. Tickets are available at HK Ticketing. Run time is approximately 120 minutes without interval.

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