Inclusiveness through the Arts: Hong Kong Arts Festival presents “No Limits” 2022

In collaboration with Hong Kong Arts Festival

The fourth edition of “No Limits” returns in virtual format this year, featuring international and Hong Kong artists of different abilities who defy limitations to excel in their respective art forms. With the vision of making art accessible to all, audiences are invited to experience a series of exciting programmes from 1 March to 18 May 2022 which cover music, dance, theatre and film.

Programmes

March 1-22

[Film] See What I’m Saying

See What I’m Saying is a heartfelt celebration of a community that views deafness as a different culture rather than a disability. It has been screened in 800 cities in 19 countries, to packed audiences and critical acclaim. It is a powerful testimony to a relatively unknown side of the entertainment industry, and will make you laugh and cry in equal amounts.

[Film] Planet HORA

A fresh take on science fiction film from Switzerland’s Theater HORA that features actors with cognitive impairment, brings you on a fantastic journey to a galaxy – Planet HORA –where things are different, and it’s no bad thing.

[Theatre] Oliver Twist

Adapted by award-winning playwright Bryony Lavery, a bold, brutal and beautiful new version of Oliver Twist by Leeds Playhouse in association with Ramps on the Moon specialising in inclusive shows with deaf actors and actors with disabilities, is an unforgettable experience, showing a timeless classic in a new light.

March 23 – May 18

[Music] Do you See What I Hear – Piano-duo Crosstalk Concert

In the 75-minute concert, visually impaired Taiwanese artist Hsu Tse-chen and John Vaughan, a Taiwan-based American pianist, play a diverse range of Western music, including classical work by Handel, Bach, Chopin and Beethoven, and also popular songs by the likes of Leonard Cohen and Pharrell Williams. The duo has been performing together for over a decade in humorous shows that also showcase the virtuosity of each.

[Music] Using Music to Paint a Picture – Music Exploration Concert

The two artists explore their collaboration and discuss the different perceptions of sighted and visually impaired musicians in a 35-minute educational session. This is sure to be of interest to regular “No Limits” concertgoers and is a fascinating insight into the process of music-making.

[Dance] Buffalo Boy

Imagine if dance could provide the neglected with an outlet for expression?  This 30-minute dance show is based on a true story and tells the story of Thoeun, a young Cambodian farm boy with Cerebral Palsy, who after years working on the family’s buffalo farm, leaves home after struggling to be understood by those around him. Thoeun goes out into the world and frees himself through the power of dance. This wonderful show harnesses digital technology and stunning light projections to tell the fantastic story of a young man overcoming the odds to dance as he wishes.

[Dance] Lost for Words

This show, with six dancers, some physically disabled and some deaf, is suitable for all ages and explores the ways deaf people can communicate with audiences and each other using the power of dance. Lost for Words is a charming piece of physical theatre that will delight audiences. The show is also accompanied by a short documentary, Behind the Scenes, which shows how Epic Arts helps people of different abilities in Cambodia realise their potential as dance performers.

[Theatre] Ad Infinitum – Extraordinary Wall of Silence

Helen, Alan, and Graham are told they are impaired and need fixing. As they begin to question the world around them, three powerful coming-of-age stories unfold, uniting in a struggle against violence, ignorance and oppression. Connected through a shared past, they are transported to one pivotal moment in 1880 when a dangerous ideology was born: one that would impair the way the world views Deaf people for over a century.

[Dance] Miramos

Swedish company Danskompaniet Spinn presents this fantastic wordless show for 4- to 8-year-olds. Miramos takes the audience on a magical and playful journey outside of time, one of colours, shapes and imagination. The show, which has a wonderful cast of colourful characters, tells us how to find the courage to approach and become friends with people who look very different.

[Music] Nicholas McCarthy in Concert with the Manchester Camerata

“No Limits” is proud to welcome back the magnificent Nicholas McCarthy, one of the world’s greatest left-hand-only pianists in a special concert with the Manchester Camerata, conducted by Gábor Takács-Nagy. Having already thrilled Hong Kong audiences at the festival last year, when he also gave masterclasses to budding young Hong Kong musicians, Nicholas McCarthy’s recital is certain to be one of the highlights of this year’s programme. 

All events are free and available for registration starting from 1 March 2022. For more details and to register, please visit nolimits.hk

About “No Limits”

“No Limits”, first launched in 2019 and co-presented by the Hong Kong Arts Festival and The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, aims to create a barrier-free environment enabling artists and audiences to explore and promote inclusiveness and understanding through the arts. The project invites members of the community to experience performances by international and local artists of different abilities that defy constraints and boundaries. “No Limits” also invests heavily in arts education for young people. The project creates diverse experiential and educational programmes to nurture students’ interest in the arts and to enable them to share the joy of the arts together with people of different abilities.