Off Stage
Tatler Hong Kong|March 2023
Immersive theatre experiences have become an increasingly popular form of entertainment over the last decade or so. What is the magic of their appeal?
Zabrina Lo
Off Stage

As we pulled back the red velvet curtains of K11 Musea’s Yè Shanghai restaurant, we were instantly transported to the heyday of the now-defunct State Theatre in North Point. Here in this movie and live entertainment palace that opened in 1952, spinning disco balls cast dazzling colours onto guests’ glamourous suits, gowns and qipaos. The smell of barbecued squid drew visitors to the restaurant’s balcony, where they could also snack on egg waffles and sip sugarcane-juice-infused cocktails before showtime.

Then the lights dimmed and guests took their seats in front of exquisitely presented seafood dishes. Dancers in sparkly tuxedos, floaty ballroom dance dresses and samba costumes adorned with bright orange feathers stepped out from backstage, and showed off their best swing, Latin and ballroom dance moves right next to the tables, as guests cheered and clapped along to Elvis Presley and Beatles songs, upbeat Canto-pop numbers by Leslie Cheung, and iconic wuxia film theme tunes.

This story is from the March 2023 edition of Tatler Hong Kong.

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This story is from the March 2023 edition of Tatler Hong Kong.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

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