Cover Louis Cheung recording ‘The World in a Grain of Rice’ in a studio (Photo: Instagram/@westkperformingarts)
Louis Cheung recording ‘The World in a Grain of Rice’ in a studio (Photo: Instagram/@westkperformingarts)
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Louis Cheung lends his powerhouse vocals to ‘The World in a Grain of Rice’, reimagining the climactic number from ‘The Impossible Trial’ while shining a spotlight on Hong Kong’s homegrown musical scene.
Say “musical” and many will think first of Broadway blockbusters such as Les Misérables or Wicked. Yet over the past three years, Hong Kong’s own original production The Impossible Trial has been stealing the spotlight. This Cantonese-language show, co-produced by West Kowloon and the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, has garnered more than 20 critics’ awards across the city and mainland China, while drawing over 35,000 theatregoers to 23 sold-out performances during a three-month tour of Beijing and Shanghai—a record for a Hong Kong musical on the mainland.
The show, which blends Western musical and traditional Chinese elements, follows the story of a greedy and malicious lawyer in 19th-century Guangdong, who loses his wealth and reputation and seeks redemption.
This month, the show returns home with a new project captivating audiences: Canto-pop star Louis Cheung has released a cover of one of its most powerful numbers, The World in a Grain of Rice, on August 12.
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Cheung, celebrated for his versatility as a singer-songwriter and actor, is no stranger to the stage. A graduate of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, he has long supported both international and local theatre. His connection to The Impossible Trial began years ago when he first encountered it as an audience member and was struck by its sophistication and storytelling power.
With his rendition, Cheung reimagines the climactic ballad in a pop style while honouring its roots in musical theatre and Buddhist influences. The cover highlights his vocal range and reinforces his belief that Hong Kong’s musicals have the potential to resonate globally. Through this project, Cheung hopes to inspire greater appreciation for homegrown productions and encourage more original stories to take centre stage.
Tatler sat down with Cheung to discuss his admiration for the musical and his interpretation of the song.
Above Louis Cheung recording ‘The World in a Grain of Rice’ in a studio (Photo: Instagram/@westkperformingarts)
Louis Cheung recording ‘The World in a Grain of Rice’ in a studio (Photo: Instagram/@westkperformingarts)
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How did this project happen?
I loved The Impossible Trial when I first watched it two to three years ago. When I was invited by West Kowloon, I said yes right away. I am honoured to take part in this project.
What did you appreciate about The Impossible Trial?
Original musicals need a long time to put together, such as those you see on Broadway or the West End, which are long-running shows. There are good qualities to the newly made musicals I’ve seen, and there are usually improvements in the different editions so that they can become long running. When I watched The Impossible Trial, I saw that the creative team had spent a lot of time preparing for it. The early editions were already very mature and the show arrangements are solid. I think it’s such an achievement that the city has a production of such calibre.
Above Louis Cheung at the opening night of ‘The Impossible Trial’ at Xiqu Centre in August 2025 (Photo: courtesy of WestK)
Louis Cheung at the opening night of ‘The Impossible Trial’ at Xiqu Centre in August 2025 (Photo: courtesy of WestK)
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Why did you pick The World in a Grain of Rice as the choice of your cover song?
I was most impressed by this song, which is featured at the climax of the show, so already there are a lot of emotions conveyed in it. I remember I was driving home after the show and the song was stuck in my head. The vocal range is wide, so I wanted to take on something that is challenging and rare in my usual repertoire. There is great dynamic. It’s difficult. So I picked something I rarely sing. I also like how it features Buddhist music.
Are you a musical person before The Impossible Trial?
I am an avid musical goer. I graduated from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and I’ve performed in musicals before. I have many friends and former schoolmates who are in this industry. So I always attend shows to support them, and I watch both international and local productions.
Read more: Hong Kong musical ‘Hedwig and the Angry Inch’ brings music festival vibes to West Kowloon
Above A still from ‘The Impossible Trial’ (Photo: courtesy of WestK)
A still from ‘The Impossible Trial’ (Photo: courtesy of WestK)
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How is singing in the pop and musical styles different?
Technically, in musicals, you need to think about the depth of the stage and project your voice. Your pronunciation of the lyrics has to be clear. For pop songs, people tend to listen to them on earphones; these days, the way you pronounce the lyrics is almost like a daily conversation and hence it doesn’t have to be as rigid. Your vocals can be more relaxed.
Musical actors are the masters of emotions; in fact, the very definition of musicals is that you’re so overwhelmed that you can’t express a story with words but only through singing it out.
In this project, the song is taken out of its context. There is no storytelling before or after the song like you would have in a musical to contextualise it. So I decided to tone down the emotions and do it in a lighter tone.
What do you hope for the cover to inspire?
I hope it will bring more attention to the musical and the industry, which needs our support. As well as locals, I hope people from overseas will come and see it. In fact, Hong Kong musicals can even become the reason for tourists to come to our city. Going forward, I hope that there will be more good scripts and stories from the city to tell the world, and Hong Kong’s musical scene will go further.
Zabrina is the Senior Editor, Arts and Culture of Tatler Hong Kong. She specialises in performing arts, visual art and film. Her wanderlust was first fuelled by the Mighty Rovers Antarctica Expedition 2010. Over the years, she has interviewed A-list artists and filmmakers, including Oscar winners Chlóe Zhao and Tim Yip, Golden Horse winner Sylvia Chang, In the Mood for Love cinematographer Christopher Doyle, Pachinko author Min Jin Lee, and Coachella’s first Chinese solo singer Jackson Wang. She won gold at the WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards for her 2021 feature on the waves of hate crimes targeting Asian Americans.
