Showcasing world-class contemporary theatre from Hong Kong and Canada, the Pacific Festival is currently underway at Richmond's Gateway Theatre (6500 Gilbert Road). Now in its second year, the festival features two ticketed main stage performances and three free events.

"It's a way to showcase what's hot and happening on Hong Kong stages," said Andrea Yu, communications coordinator for the Gateway in an interview with the Straight.

"We want to be able to make people feel welcome into theatre, because sometimes there's not always as much Asian representation on stage, and for this festival, we're really showcasing the best and the brightest."

Among the main stage performances is a double-bill that features two solo shows: Cook Your Life, starring MayMay Chan, and MeChat, starring Eric Tang. Yu said that both shows are centered on themes of modern life, but are presented from different perspectives. 

"What's so exciting about Cook your Life is that MayMay Chan cooks live on stage while she's performing," said Yu.

"She calls it a 4-D experience, because you can see, smell, hear, and in some instances even taste what's going on on stage." The comedic solo show revolves around a woman whose experiences in the kitchen mirror her feelings about love. 

"MeChat deals with how some men, instead of dealing with real relationships, rely too much on technology," Yu explained. Also a comedic solo performance, up-and-coming star Tang guides the audience through online romance, cybersex, the impact of selfies, and more. 

Not all performances presented at the festival are from the stages of Hong Kong. Local interdisciplinary arts company Hong Kong Exile Arts Association will host an open rehearsal of their multimedia dance and theatre piece Nine Doesn't Follow Eight in the Gateway's Studio B space this Friday and Saturday (September 11 and 12).  

Incorporating live-triggered projections and sound, the piece reflects on the political, social, and geographical transitions that took place in Hong Kong during the '90s.

"It first began with my research into something called mo lei tau film, which is a phenomenon of absurdist comedic cinema that came out in the '90s," said Natalie Tin Yin Gan, choreographer and co-creator of the show. 

"I had watched a lot of these films as a child, and I was quite curious about watching them again as an adult, and given the current political climate, I was compelled to look at these films and see what they told us about that situation."

For a preview of Nine Doesn’t Follow Eight, check out the video below. Find tickets and more information about the festival here.