Madagascar the Musical, a feelgood production, is coming to Hong Kong, with producer betting he can rebuild audience after the pandemic
- The musical version of the DreamWorks animated film will be the first big theatrical production in the city since the pandemic, says producer Matthew Gregory
- He talks about the revival of live entertainment, the challenges of putting on a major production and bringing audiences back
Are big musicals and West End-type productions finally coming back to Hong Kong?
The Covid-19 pandemic nearly killed all live performances in the city, but on December 14, a touring production of Madagascar The Musical opens at the Academy for Performing Arts’ Lyric Theatre. And last week, it was announced a revival of The Sound of Music will run at the Xiqu Centre in West Kowloon, beginning next April.
Producer Matthew Gregory, whose ABA Productions is bringing the musical version of the hit DreamWorks animation back to Hong Kong after a 2019 debut, is cautiously optimistic about revival of live commercial entertainment in the city.
“The way I see it, all the big shows will come back. I’m very confident about that. Will it all be back in 2014? No, I don’t think so. 2025? There will probably be more. But by 2026, I think we’ll see larger productions coming regularly. I’m optimistic but I’m also realistic.”
The reality is that big stage productions are like the Titanic. There are lots of moving parts, so just changing course requires huge logistical resources and effort, not to mention money. The Madagascar cast and crew comes to 30 people. After Hong Kong, it all will “Move It! Move It!” to Singapore.
