HKREP ON SCREEN: Principle

Soon after she starts her job, a new principal establishes a host of new rules, upsetting her staff and her students. Gossip swirls that the new principal and vice principal are at loggerheads, poisoning the atmosphere. An accident involving a student leads to the popular vice principal’s transfer. This angers the students, who demand that the authorities officially explain the circumstances and administer justice. A campus crisis is about to explode. Exams are looming, yet a student movement is about to unfold. How should the principal, vice principal, teachers, school board, student council and students handle the crisis? Can the truth be accepted?
 
Principle originated from Reader’s Theatre presented by Hong Kong Repertory Theatre (HKRep). It came to life on stage in HKRep Black Box and was later produced at the Hong Kong City Hall. In early 2020, the production even travelled to Singapore’s Huayi Festival, where tickets for all five shows at the Esplanade — Theatres on the Bay were sold out in record time. Since its “birth” five years ago, Principle was revised along every step while preserving its initial spark of creativity, inspiring theatregoers with its insightful perspectives gauging the meaning of justice and limitations of the individual. In the role of the principal and vice principal, Lui Si Lan has won the 30th Hong Kong Drama Awards as Best Leading Actress (Tragedy / Drama) and  Ko Hon Man won the 2019 Shanghai One Drama Awards as Best Actor. A brilliant script and a vibrant ensemble cast recreated this hard battle of wits on stage.