The Great LearningHong Kong Arts FestivalThe 46th Hong Kong Arts Festival

Living life in the fast lane like there’s no tomorrow

INTRODUCTION

The Great Learning follows the lives of secondary school students, Yin, Sau, Hua, Fatso and Ling, characters who we first met in 2016’s Chinese Lesson, a play that was named by SCMP as one of HKAF’s “best drama productions […] in recent years”. The Great Learning examines the millenial generation’s state of mind in the years following Hong Kong’s umbrella movement; between street clashes, university protests and social disillusionment, this sequel tells the story of power-plays, lies, betrayal and other dark truths, as the young adults take vicious paths to work their way out from the ruptures of their youth.

The play takes its title from Confucius’s The Great Learning, which holds that “things being investigated, knowledge became complete”. As the young students “investigate” and encounter difficulties along the way, finally they are able to come to terms with the realities they live in.

Alongside the five returning characters from Chinese Lesson, established actor Yuen will play the role of political activist Professor Poon, with emerging pop singer-actress Regen Cheung and five other young actors making up the remaining cast of university students.

Performed in Cantonese with Chinese and English surtitles
This production contains smoking scenes and strong language