Remixing Shakespeare’s sonnets

Théatre de la Feuille's latest offering, #1314, looks at Shakespeare's sonnets — a series of 154 love poems published in a quarto in 1609 — through a contemporary lens. The title comes from Chinese slang, in which "1314" means "forever", usually preceded by "I love you" or a similar phrase. The hashtag is a nod to social media, as many people today court one another and make declarations of romantic love in the virtual realm.

The production — staged at the end of last month at Sha Tin Town Hall — is set in a timeless space. The proscenium stage is left bare, stripped of its wings, teaser curtains and cyclorama. Backstage, with its dressing rails and numerous amplifiers, is completely visible. Toward the end of the show, the actors take off and scatter their costumes all across the stage on their way out. In this exposed and unadorned space, now a picture of dereliction, the lighting rigs are lowered to take center stage. For around five minutes, the stage machinery performs a synchronized "dance" to unheard music.