Fire Drill Scenario
26.3.2026 7pm – 8pm
27.3.2026 7pm – 8pm (By invitation only)
28-29.3.2026 3pm – 4pm
28.3.2026 7pm – 8pm (This session is part of the “Art After Hours”)
29.3.2026 7pm – 8pm
JC Cube, Tai Kwun
HK$280
Remarks
- Duration: approximately 1 hour without interval
- No latecomers will be admitted
- In English, with Cantonese assistance
- Recommended for ages 6 and above
- The experience contains simulation of emergency evacuation, including moving inside and outside the venue. It contains the use of smoke effects, haze, high pitched frequencies, loud music, flashing lights, abrupt lighting changes, low lighting, lights that black out and change in colour and intensity.
- Audience is required to walk around various locations during the performance. Comfortable clothing is recommended and please assess your physical condition if it is suitable for participation
- Programmes are subject to change without prior notice. Tai Kwun reserves the right to make the final decision regarding the arrangements
Fire Drill Scenario: Where the Venue and Audience Take Centre Stage
Text: Jan Wong
Emergency drills have led South Korean interdisciplinary artist Geumhyung Jeong contemplate the nature of theatre. From the Tai Kwun staging to the previous editions in Korea and Australia, Fire Drill Scenario is not her first creative attempt inspired by real-life emergency drills. In her earlier work CPR Practice, a medical dummy was brought to the stage where various types of practices, including those for cardiovascular emergencies, became performance material. The topic seems to be a source of endless fascination for Jeong.
Fire Drill Scenario made its debut at the Asia Culture Center Arts Theater in Gwangju, South Korea, followed by a new edition at the Arts Centre Melbourne. The former was presented at a typical proscenium whereas the latter was staged at a multi-purpose space for both performance and exhibition, offering audiences diverse experiences. Likewise, the Tai Kwun edition takes place at JC Cube which can be used for screening, performance and more. Jeong says that extensive adjustments have been made for the show at Tai Kwun, which she calls a perfect venue; working with the Tai Kwun staff is also an extraordinary experience. “In Fire Drill Scenario, the venue and the audience take centre stage. The same piece becomes a new work every time it is performed at a different location,” she points out.
How would Jeong describe her role in this production? Performer, choreographer, safety officer or speaker? “All of the above!” She adds that Fire Drill Scenario both creates and shatters illusions by generating anticipation before chaos. She goes on to describe her piece as “a small-scale showcase of handmade puppets”. She hopes the work will spark discussions on the various dimensions of performance, choreography and theatre.
The audience is an integral part of her creation. “I am not talking about any specific interaction or response, but their presence completes the performance.” She cannot wait to meet the Hong Kong audience: “Let’s play together!”
Concept & Performance:
- Geumhyung Jeong
Producer, Production Manager & Stage Manager:
- Johannes Maile
Supported by
Originally commissioned by Asia Culture Centre Arts Theatre, Gwangju, South Korea and premiered in 2016.
Supported by Arts Council Korea in 2023.
In 2025, Fire Drill Scenario has been supported by City of Melbourne through Arts House and Arts Centre Melbourne through Asia TOPA.
Special Thanks
Tai Kwun Facilities Management & Operations Departments for their comprehensive support in presenting the Fire Drill Scenario.
Geumhyung Jeong
Concept & Performance
©Davide Meneghello
Geumhyung Jeong is an artist whose work ranges from performance, dance, choreography, theatre, video and installation. Since the beginning of her career, Jeong’s work has investigated the relationship between the human body and the objects that surround it, by way of productions that combine languages and techniques from the fields of contemporary dance, puppet theatre and the visual arts. In the course of the physical interaction between her body and the objects, it becomes ambiguous who controls whom, blurring the line between inanimate and animate.