![Sunbeam Theatre Lobby 2017](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Sunbeam_Theatre_Lobby_2017.jpg)
Sunbeam Theatre () is a landmark theatre in
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
showcasing
Cantonese opera
Cantonese opera is one of the major categories in Chinese opera, originating in southern China's Guangdong Province. It is popular in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, Macau and among Chinese communities in Southeast Asia. Like all versions of Ch ...
. It is located at 423
King's Road
King's Road or Kings Road (or sometimes the King's Road, especially when it was the king's private road until 1830, or as a colloquialism by middle/upper class London residents), is a major street stretching through Chelsea, London, Chelsea ...
,
North Point
North Point is a mixed-use urban area in the Eastern District, Hong Kong, Eastern District of Hong Kong. Located in the northeastern part of Hong Kong Island, the area is named after a cape between Tin Hau, Hong Kong, Causeway Bay and Tsat Ts ...
, near the intersection with Shu Kuk Street.
History
In the 1950s, many of the
Shanghainese
The Shanghainese language, also known as the Shanghai dialect, or Hu language, is a variety of Wu Chinese spoken in the Districts of Shanghai, central districts of the Shanghai, City of Shanghai and its surrounding areas. It is classified as ...
emigrants moved from
Shanghai
Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...
to Hong Kong and settled in the North Point area. At the time Shanghai was known for its
leftist
Left-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy. Left-wing politics typically involve a concern for those in soci ...
revolutions, and many of the leftist supported businesses relocated to North Point. Aside from the China Products Department stores, the Sunbeam Theatre is one of the landmark theatres to have been started by that same group of emigrants. It was established by "Hua Chang Enterprises Ltd" in 1972. Later it was turned over to "Silver Entertainment Ltd" on 1 September 1980 to
Henry Fok
Henry Fok Ying Tung (10 May 1923 – 28 October 2006) was a Hong Kong businessman. He has ancestral roots in Lianxi Village, Panyu, now part of Guangzhou, Guangdong. Fok was the vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's ...
, chairman of "Sunbeam Entertainment". In 1988, Yao-Hung, chairman of the board of "Hong Kong United Arts Entertainment Company Ltd" took over its operation.
In 1989, the theatre was divided into two auditoriums, with the smaller one converted from the balcony for showing films, while the larger one converted from the stalls for stage performances.
[Cinema Treasures entry](_blank)
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In 1993, Chung Sun Sing Opera Troupe had a season of 38 consecutive full-house shows at the Sunbeam Theatre, winning the theatre the title of "Hong Kong's Grand Palace for Cantonese Opera".
The property was acquired by Francis Law Sau-fai (羅守輝) in 2003 for HK$162 million.[South China morning post. Ray of hope for Sunbeam Theatre. 17 Feb 2012.] There were plans to transform it into a shopping mall.
In March 2007, the smaller auditorium was rebuilt as a multi-purpose theatre for stage performances.
The lease of the theatre, ended in February 2009. After much public debate about the possible closure of the theatre and discussions about alternative options, the lease with the operator of the Theatre was renewed for three years, while the landlord had made clear his plan to redevelop the theatre three years later. At the same time, the Government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...
was planning to provide HK$100,000 each month, through the Arts Development Council
The Hong Kong Arts Development Council (ADC) is a statutory body in Hong Kong tasked with development of the arts in the territory.
The ADC was created in 1995, under the Hong Kong Arts Development Council Ordinance, Chapter 472, replacing ...
, to subsidise the rental of the Theatre."Gov't to subsidise Sunbeam Theatre"
news.gov.hk (21 February 2009)
In 2012, an arrangement was made by a mystery person named Mr. Leung to have landlord Francis Law Sau-fai meet with opera playwright Li Kui-ming (李居明) to talk about the rent situation.
Law accepted the rent at a cost of HK$1 million a month. This allowed the property to stay a Cantonese opera theatre.
The mystery man was later said to be
2012 chief executive election candidate Leung Chun-ying
Leung Chun-ying (; born 12 August 1954), also known as CY Leung, is a Hong Kong politician and chartered surveyor, who has served as vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference since Ma ...
.
References
External links
Sunbeam Theatre website
Seat Arrangements
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Cinemas in Hong Kong
North Point