CUHK
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The Eighth Chinese Universities Shakespeare Festival, co-organized by the Department of English and the Office of the Arts Administrator at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and sponsored by the Dr. Tien Chang Lin Technology Innovation Foundation, will hold its performance finals at Sir Run Run Shaw Hall, CUHK, from 28 to 30 May at 3:00pm. Competing teams are going to present selected scenes from Shakespeare’s renowned plays in innovative and entertaining ways to all audiences.

On the previous seven occasions, the Chinese Universities Shakespeare Festival proved to be an ideal platform for students to experience the drama and imagination of the finest English poet who ever lived. It also successfully promoted English learning and cultural exchange between East and West.

Fourteen finalists out of 44 teams survived from the first round competition held in January, including Fudan University, Guizhou University, Hainan University, Lingnan University, Nanjing University, National Taiwan University, Shandong Institute of Business and Technology, Shenzhen University, Sichuan International Studies University, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, The University of Hong Kong, Tsinghua University, University of International Business and Economics and Wuhan University.

To enrich educational experience for participating students, master classes were arranged for all competing teams. The classes, conducted by professional instructors to help each team identify areas of strength and areas that could be enhanced with new approaches, were held over three days in last November and December in each of the three regional centres: Hong Kong, Beijing and Hangzhou.

The adjudicators of the Festival are internationally acclaimed English scholars and theatre professionals, including Prof. Geoffrey Borny, drama scholar and former Head of Theatre Studies, Australian National University; Prof. John Gillies, expert on Shakespeare in East Asia and Professor of English, University of Essex; and Prof. Peter Holbrook, Shakespeare scholar and Professor at the University of Queensland.

The champion team will enjoy a one-week trip to see Shakespeare performed professionally on the stage at Stratford and in London’s West End. Other winning teams will be awarded electronic products generously donated by Shun Hing Education and Charity Fund.

Seat reservations have been made available to all secondary schools and individual tickets will also be available to the public from 7 May. Admissions are free. Interested parties may call 3943 7528 or 3943 7851 for details. Free shuttle buses will be running between University Station and Sir Run Run Shaw Hall from 2:30 pm and after the performances.