The governing body of the West Kowloon Cultural District canceled the LGBTQ-themed play on Saturday, hours before tickets went on sale, after complaints that the drama was “defaming Hong Kong”.
Xiqu Center in the West Kowloon Cultural District. Photo: Tom Grundy/HKFP.
The production team behind “We Are Gay,” a play written by award-winning playwright Candice Chong, said in a statement on Saturday that the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA) notified them of the cancellation around 9 a.m. that day, about two hours before tickets went on sale.
According to the production team, WKCDA’s notice did not mention the reason for the cancellation. “We Are Gay,” which tells the story of a love triangle between three men, was scheduled to be performed at Xiqu Center from November 28 to December 4.
Chung, who has been a vocal critic of censorship concerns in the city’s arts community, reposted the statement on Facebook and Instagram, saying, “The elephant is here.”
In an emailed response to Hong Kong FP on Saturday, WKCDA said it had received “numerous complaints” that the play “promotes conflict and defames Hong Kong.”
“Prudently speaking, the authorities believe that it is inappropriate to implement this program in the next phase. [the West Kowloon Cultural District]venue,” he added.
Separately, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Department told Hong Kong FP on Saturday that it had been consulted by WKCDA and supported and agreed with the venue decision.
Hours after the cancellation was announced, actor Anthony Wong, who plays the lead role in the play, said in a Facebook post that the script did not include any depiction of the government or its policies.
“Instead, it includes a few lines saying that today’s society is inclusive and full of love and freedom,” Wong wrote in Chinese, rejecting complaints about the play.
“We Are Gay” is a Hong Kong LGBTQ-themed play. Photo: We Are Gay via Facebook.
State-run newspaper Wen Weibo published an editorial on Saturday claiming that Zheng “masqueraded as a cultural activist to incite political conflict and incite social division.”
The article also criticized the WKCDA for allowing Chung’s play to be performed at the Seokoku Center.
We Are Gay was first performed in 2022 as part of the Hong Kong Arts Festival.
The production team said they will continue to rehearse and explore other possible ways to stage the play.
Chong has been a vocal critic of what he sees as an oppressive environment for artists in the city, even as authorities vow to crack down on “soft resistance” – an ambiguous term referring to national security threats in areas such as the arts and media.
The playwright said in June that soft resistance by the authorities would undermine artists and creative freedom, as “innocent people and works have been unjustly accused.”
Last month, Chung accused her alma mater, the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, of canceling her appearance in the school’s founding anniversary campaign without any valid reason.
About a week later, on September 9, the playwright suggested that We Are Gay might be canceled due to her outspoken comments, as advance ticket sales were put on hold. But on September 20, she said the play had been “greenlit”.
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