Hong Kong musical ‘Hedwig and the Angry Inch’ brings music festival vibes to West Kowloon

As it turns out, Lam wasn’t the only one in love with this iconic work. Coincidentally, it was also Cheng’s dream to play Hedwig ever since he came across the musical while studying acting at the University of Surrey. “It’s the holy grail of every male musical theatre actor,” Cheng says.

While London’s West End and New York’s Broadway have plenty of male lead characters, in Hong Kong, it’s harder to find a male lead for a musical. “After An Impossible Trial, [West Kowloon] was looking for new show materials. They need a good musical theatre repertoire. And we’re all interested in Hedwig,” he says. “So the stars just aligned.”

But this Hong Kong version of Hedwig isn’t just a transplanted production. Music director Veronica Lee will reimagine the music arrangements by infusing the songs with touches of EDM and techno. Hedwig’s costume design will also have local elements, with a homegrown designer adding upcycled pieces to the wardrobe.

Adding another layer of Hong Kong flavour, Cheng translated the script and lyrics into Cantonese that incorporate cultural references to Hong Kong—and leaves 30 per cent in English, mirroring the city’s linguistic landscape. According to Cheng, this will make Hedwig feel as familiar as “a character from your neighbourhood”.

Meanwhile, Lam, who’s the show’s creative director and choreographer, says he will transform the theatre into “a carnival of Hedwig”. Forget a traditional theatre setting: Lam envisions an outdoor format—while the show will be staged inside The Box in Freespace, the nearby area will have game booths, bars and a DJ party, just like music festivals.

This month, the team is staging shorter, more intimate versions of the show in bars such as Lost Stars Livehouse Bar and Eatery in Tsim Sha Tsui and Keyz in Central, both as promotional previews and preparatory work for the full production in May. This bar tour is filmed to create a “documentary” of Hedwig’s journey in the city which will be shown in West Kowloon. “Our Hedwig be a very special version that’s distinct from any other production in Asia or even globally,” says Lam.

While the show is timed right before Pride Month in June, Lam and Cheng clarify that it has nothing to do with the musical’s subject. In fact, while Hedwig undeniably explores themes of gender identity, both are keen to emphasise its broader, more universal message. “It’s about humanity, self-spirit, courage and searching for your inner self. It has nothing to do with gender,” says Cheng. Lam echoes this sentiment, highlighting the musical’s ability to resonate with anyone who has ever felt different or struggled to find their place.

To them, Hedwig is a journey to embrace all facets of oneself. “In this chaotic time, when we’re troubled by world issues, we need this story to empower and inspire.”

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