The Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) announced in a statement last week that “Operation Oops! A Musical”, an original comedy produced under the “Commissioning Performing Arts Productions 2024–2026” project, is slated to be staged over three performances from this Saturday through next Monday at the Small Auditorium of the Macau Cultural Centre (CCM) in Nape.
Adapted from the homonymous novel by Macau playwright Lawrence Lei I Leong, “Operation Oops!” tells the prize-winning story of a band of misfits who, frustrated by soaring housing prices, decide to kidnap a real-estate developer. Thwarted by a string of unfortunate blunders, the zero-budget kidnapping plan spirals into chaos.
During yesterday’s press conference, the musical’s composer, Leon Ko Sai-tseung, said the script immediately stood out to him. “When I first saw his script, I thought it had the potential to make a very special musical,” he said, adding that he wanted to create “a happy, but a little bit of a sad theme”. He also described the collaboration with co-lyricist Bill Iu Ching Ue as a fresh experience, noting that “there was only me and him” left in the end to shape the musical language.
Leong said that adapting the original novel into a musical required a shift in mindset. “The stage play is based on dialogue to promote the plot, but the musical play is more important. It is the music and the song that promote the plot,” he said.
Meanwhile, director Fong Chun Kit of the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre said that the visual and rhythmic style draws from a sense of confinement and struggle. Comparing the characters to sheep, he said they are “struggling to survive in a small space”, with minimalist staging where “they can only use one thing in each scene”, relying heavily on actors’ performance and musical rhythm to drive the atmosphere.
Local choreographer Florence Cheong Ut Ieng stressed that movement was designed to express class struggle rather than beauty. “I don’t think the dance should be beautiful or graceful. It’s more about the character,” she said, adding that the choreography aims for a “wild and rough texture” rooted in everyday life, while keeping the musical engaging and fun for audiences.
Jordan Cheng (鄭君熾), a multi-award-winning local performer and recipient of the Best Actor award at the 31st Hong Kong Drama Awards, described the rehearsal process as intense but joyful. “We are like a big pot in the rehearsal room. We all jump into it,” he said, noting frequent laughter during rehearsals despite the physical demands of musical theatre. He added that the cast, drawn from Macau, Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland, created “a lot of sparks and interesting things”.
Tickets are on sale via Enjoy Macao Ticketing, Damai and Maoyan platforms. Details on ticketing and promotional offers may be found via www.icm.gov.mo or by contacting 2840 0555.
This poster downloaded from the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) website yesterday promotes the upcoming “Operation Oops! A Musical” slated to hit the stage from this Saturday through next Monday.
The production crew – Bill Iu Ching Ue (left), Jordan Cheng (鄭君熾) (top left), Florence Cheong Ut Ieng (top right), Fong Chun Kit (second from left), Leon Ko Sai-tseung (second from right) and Lawrence Lei I Leong – pose for a group photo during yesterday’s “Operation Oops! A Musical” press conference at the Macau Cultural Centre (CCM).
Director Fong Chun Kit (right) addresses yesterday’s press conference alongside playwright Lawrence Lei I Leong at the Macau Cultural Centre (CCM).
The creative team – (from left to right) Jordan Cheng (鄭君熾), Florence Cheong Ut Ieng, Bill Iu Ching Ue, Leon Ko Sai-tseung, Lawrence Lei I Leong and Fong Chun Kit – look on during yesterday’s press conference at the Macau Cultural Centre (CCM) in Nape. – Photos: Khalel Vallo
