The critically acclaimed stage play “The Truth About Lying” premiered at the end of last year, featuring the dream team of Wong Tze Wah and Carina Lau @carinalau1208. After a series of 58 performances, their collaboration is coming to a close. The story centers around two divorce lawyers, exploring how observers become the parties involved, facing the joys and sorrows between law and marriage, questioning the concept of everlasting love.
Do you remember at last year’s launch event when Wong Tze Wah joked as soon as he appeared: “After all these years without collaboration, our first project is a divorce story.” This brought laughter from the audience. Since its debut, the production has continued to resonate, not only due to the wonderful chemistry between the two leads and its sold-out tickets, but also because of editor Wong Wing Si’s incisive writing that is both moving and unforgettable.
“Divorce in Hong Kong” is one of the classic original scripts in the Hong Kong drama scene, crafted by playwright Wong Wing-si. The story humorously and romantically presents the lives and attitudes of Hong Kong people, exploring the nuances of youth and love, as well as the fragility of marriage and the paradoxes of affection. As a prestigious production in Hong Kong, it has been performed five times and has won four awards, including “Best Script” (Wong Wing-si) and “Best Actress” (Tragedy/Drama) at the Hong Kong Theatre Awards, as well as “Best Overall Performance” and “Top Ten Most Popular Productions.” The success of the play relies not only on the collaboration of various entities but also on the foundation of the script — playwright Wong Wing-si.
Huang Yongshi shared that 15 years ago, she was inspired to develop the theme of a play by a friend working at a divorce lawyer’s office. At that time, while she was still single, she began to cultivate her imagination about “marriage”: what does it really mean to be partners? Is being married the key to being good partners? She referenced and incorporated many real stories, yet approached serious topics with humor. Now, 15 years later, as a married woman, she finally has the opportunity to rewrite the facts she didn’t understand back then, such as: “I began to realize that some arguments actually don’t lead to real yelling.” She integrates different actors’ voices, hoping to get closer to the truth.
This time, the outstanding behind-the-scenes team is also worth noting, including producers Wang Yaozu and Zhou Yi, director Chen Shuyi, and costume designer Zhang Shuping, who will all create classic masterpieces for the theater industry. The cast members, including Yang Qi, Yang Shimin, and Liang Haobang, have undeniable talent.
“I hope that the drama can become part of life.” The playwright Huang Yongshi stated: “This play is not a serious one; I hope everyone can find inspiration through humor.”
The following excerpts from “Hong Kong Style Divorce” capture some brilliant quotes. You might draw insights into the life experiences and wisdom of Wong Wing Si from these words.
Love always begins with a romantic opening, but marriage is a lengthy narrative of realism, where the beauty of first encounters evolves into various trials and challenges over time. Everyone has countless emotional entanglements. In a relationship, finding a safe and suitable distance—close enough to feel the warmth yet far enough to maintain one’s individuality—can indeed be a profound challenge.
This is not just a stage play; it’s more like a mirror that reflects our imagination and reality of love, humorously and romantically presenting the lives and attitudes of Hong Kong people, allowing everyone to reflect through laughter.
The excitement of the performance is such that even Wong Tze Wah could not help but express his fondness for it—he had already described it during its fourth reprise in 2018 as: “The language steeped in dried tangerine peel, actors with impeccable skills, scenes that are subtly yet tumultuously powerful… ah, the hysterical shift from zero to a hundred in no time, the overwhelming ‘Yin Gong’”, leaving a lasting impression. I wonder what feelings and reflections you have after watching it?
For those who couldn’t get tickets, you might consider getting a copy of the script collection for “Hong Kong Style Divorce,” which includes the wonderful dialogues from the show. It transforms the entangled loves and hates of six modern men and women into written words, allowing you to revisit and reflect on the performances after watching the play.
