藝穗會

Arrived for a concert 20 minutes early to find there are no seats, and barely half the guests arrived. My husband won a «free ticket», I bought mine. All tickets come with a free drink however, since we had a free ticket, my husband was not allowed the complimentary drink… clearly we will be leaving early and not returning to this establishment.

Hidden in the glass and concrete jungle of Hong Kong is this quaint little Victorian building safeguarding Hong Kong’s avant garde treasures. The building itself is a photo opportunity as its unique round shape makes it look like a mini castle of relaxation, out of time and place in the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong. Inside, lies a quiet little art gallery. If you work in the area, I invite you to come in on your lunch break, relax, and enjoy a zen moment to refresh your mind before jumping back into the fray.
Hong Kongers are often trapped in a perpetual grind. Due to crazy high real estate prices, people have to work a lot of overtime and multiple jobs to pay for a very tiny flat. Often, the higher paying jobs are on Hong Kong island while the low cost housing is far away in the new territories. Commuting 3 to 4 hours a day and working long hours results in a daily grind with zero free time. You come home after a long day at work, a long commute, crash onto your bed, then, as soon as you open your eyes, the grind starts all over again.
Hong Kong is full of opportunities, but only for those creative and resourceful enough to get out of the grind. The fringe club is full of that creative vibe. For example, I went to a performance there by a musical group, «Western District», which is not a performance of catchy tunes you can listen to on your commute for the daily grind. It is, rather, a musical workshop where the musicians are experimenting and testing the boundaries of just exactly what is music. What is a piano? What is the boundary between melody and cacophany? How do you play a piano? Their experimentive spirit, your discussion with the artists and other patrons during the intermission just might be that creative spark that starts your fire that eventually burns down your daily grind. You must challenge what is, in order to build what will be.
P. S. Honestly, I really didn’t «get it» and, thus, didn’t enjoy my experience at The Fringe Club. I enjoy old world craftsmanship such as Renaissance art or Ming Dynasty Imperial porcelain. I don’t «get» abstract art such as Kandinsky. I enjoy listening to Mozart or Chopin played by a pianist who has slaved for years to perfect his/​her performance. I don’t «get» the group, Western District, which performed abstract «music» such as a German guy reciting German poetry whilst an Opera singer alternately sang and whimpered like a puppy with a pianist playing randomly by pounding on the piano with a shower curtain rod. However, everyone else there seemed to really enjoy themselves. Their performance was packed with people paying 180 HKD to listen to them perform whilst standing up because they ran out of seating space! Hence, the positive review with 4 stars even though I wanted to give it 1 star. The most difficult reviews to write are positive reviews of stuff you really didn’t enjoy. LOL!

The Fringe Club is an institution — for over thirty years they’ve provided a platform for theatremakers, artists, restauranteurs — its an interesting and varied, layered history but one thats definitely steeped in Hong Kong history.
I always enjoy their curated art exhibitions — followed by a coffee in the Dairy. Also check out Liars League, slowly becoming a regular at the Fringe events whereby writers showcase their work to an unassuming audience. Its good fun and even more so, their roof terrace provides a great after work alternative if you can’t get into the FCC next door…

If you are an art lover like me, The Hong Kong Fringe Club should not be anything unfamiliar for you. It is actually a non-​profit arts organization that aims at helping new artists to get their feet off the ground. Over the years, it has hosted countless performances and exhibitions that help promote local artists in an international setting and celebrate cultural exchange at the same thing.
Apart from that, the building itself is a great example of Hong Kong cultural heritage as it was once an old dairy farm built in a late Victorian style. Now it has completely transformed and became the example of cultural heritage conservation and invigoration. With the distinctive façade of this building, this place also attracts lots of tourists to take picture in front of the classic bricks with such big contrast.
Walk inside and you can see two studio theatres, three exhibition areas, a restaurant, etc. What I like this place the most is the fact that they have such dedication to local artists especially Hong Kong has once criticized for not promoting arts as much, this place just proved it wrong and shown how much we care. Check out their website for more information on the latest shows.