Karaoke

Michelle was born in the 1980s, surrounded by rich and eclectic musical influences since childhood. In Karaoke, she draws on the true story of her ties with her parents after their divorce, to explore the shifting identities of Hong Kong people.

[Feedback from the premiere]

“This work explores the inseparable, lingering relationship between people, their environment, and culture. It is not a didactic recounting of historical events, but a living page of history that you and I can understand; one we have personally lived through.”

“Superb quality. Absolutely one of the best Hong Kong works I have ever seen in my life. From a personal story to the fate of Hong Kong; from popular culture to world history, the narrative is at once deeply personal and globally minded, both simple and richly layered.”

“Once again, I am stunned by Michelle Li. An incredibly powerful and compelling performance! She masterfully controls the emotional tension and release of the audience, moving yet thoroughly entertaining. Through the performance, she bares the creator’s family story and most intimate emotions, while also articulating her reflections and feelings about social change and the broader political landscape. The personal and the societal mirror and illuminate each other. If you haven’t seen it, you simply cannot imagine it.”

“The lyrics, text, archival footage, multimedia, and musical ‘editing’ are nothing short of virtuosic, a seamless series of ‘performative montages.’ It is truly exhilarating that Hong Kong has a performer who can so effortlessly and boldly ‘play with’ cross-media performance in this way.”

“Rooftop Productions is currently one of the strongest and finest theatre collectives in Hong Kong. Karaoke" is filled with reflexivity and a philosophical approach of seeing society through the individual and the individual through society... It is the creator pouring herself out, writing a love letter to Hong Kong, her family, and herself.”