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Suzanne Chan (second from right) and Andy Lee (right) provide theatrical interpretation for deaf audience members at an inclusive Cantonese opera show. Photo: Sue NgAt Xiqu Centre’s Tea House Theatre earlier this month, Manix Kwong, who has low vision, was able to fully appreciate Cantonese opera for the first time in two decades with a special audio headset.
“I enjoy listening to Cantonese opera with my wife, but I can barely see anything at the theatre,” said the retiree in his 60s, who was accompanied by his black Labrador guide dog, Copper.
“With the audio description, it was so much better as I was told what are the moves and gestures of the performers,” Kwong said of the access service providing audio descriptions for the blind and visually impaired.
This was one of two performances held on February 10 and 11, part of the last phase of the Inclusive West Kowloon Community Engagement Programme. These “relaxed” performances were meant to make Cantonese opera accessible for everyone, especially those with disabilities or from ethnic minority communities.
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The three-phase programme started last November. It aims to promote social inclusion in art by connecting people with different abilities and backgrounds.
The initiative was sponsored by the Yau Tsim Mong District Office and organised by the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) Authority and Christian Family Service Centre.
Kwong, who was a secondary school maths teacher, lost his sight in 1998 after being diagnosed with retinopathy. This condition affects the retina, the part of the eye that detects light, and it is a leading cause of blindness and vision loss globally.
By chance, the charity Hong Kong Seeing Eye Dog Services introduced Kwong to the WKCD programme. “Enjoying the art and cultural atmosphere adds colour to disabled life and expands our social circles,” Kwong emphasised.
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According to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong has 534,200 people with disabilities, making up 7.1 per cent of the overall population. Of these, some 244,000 reported having restricted body movements, 47,900 people have hearing difficulties, and 47,600 people have seeing difficulties.
Betty Fung Ching Suk-yee, chief executive officer of the WKCD Authority, said: “The four-month event has seen more than 800 people participate, proving that many people want to learn more about the WKCD and disabilities through art.”
Kwong was one of the programme’s 30 community inclusion ambassadors, made up of people with and without disabilities. They were given a four-week training with 13 art and culture workshops, as well as the relaxed opera shows.
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Unlike typical performances from the Tea House Rising Stars Troupe, the relaxed shows adjusted its lighting and sound to minimise the effect on those who are sensitive. The audience could exit and re-enter the theatre freely and had many access services, such as audio description and theatrical interpretation.
“The programme made a lot of new goals in promoting inclusiveness,” said Ivy Leung Siu-ling, chief executive of the Christian Family Service Centre.
She stressed: “We wish to hold it again in the future as we don’t want it to become a one-off event.”
Helping the deaf understand a performance
As the troupe performed, Suzanne Chan and Andy Lee, theatrical interpreters, stood downstage translating the show’s dialogue, music and gestures for the deaf.
“If there is theatrical interpretation, they [the deaf] can also understand the lines and plot of the show,” said Chan, explaining this was a more expressive and artistic form of sign language interpretation.
“We need to adjust and modify the sign language to match the ancient setting of the pieces,” said Lee. “For example, the sign for ‘why’ is a question mark, but we won’t see a punctuation mark in a classic piece. So we would replace it with a shrugged shoulder.”
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Interpreting music is even more difficult. “I can only tell them it is high or low pitch ... and the song’s name,” Lee shared. For instance, in a performance of the classic story The Legend of the Condor Heroes, interpreters would sign the words for “archery” and “eagle” to reference the title of a song being sung.
“With more information, they can feel the music,” explained Lee. “It’s very satisfying to see the deaf laughing or shedding tears in the theatre with others.”
Hong Kong has 3,000 deaf people using sign language in daily communication, but there are only 56 professional sign-language interpreters. Chan said there were more people learning sign language, but they were not putting their skills to use.
Lee said: “We hope shows in Hong Kong will incorporate theatrical interpretation and troupes can introduce more access services into performances to engage more audiences with different abilities.”
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