Newsletter: Clockenflap Unveils Minimax: A Theatre Without Walls

[THIS IS A PRESS RELEASE]

Clockenflap Music & Arts Festival, with the support of the Arts Capacity Development Funding Scheme under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the Hong Kong SAR Government, proudly presents Minimax: The Planets — a mobile, site-responsive, and kinetic theatrical experience premiering at Clockenflap from 5–7 December 2025.

Conceptualised by Jay Hofmann-Forster (Co-Founder & Artistic Director, Clockenflap) and designed by Obie Chan (Screw Up Studio), Minimax blends large-scale rolling sets, live music, dance, visual art, and audience participation—transforming transitional time and liminal space into moments of collective encounter.

Written and directed by Benjamin Smith (Svalbard Company, SE), Minimax: The Planets reimagines Gustav Holst’s iconic suite as a living, breathing theatrical work. Each planet becomes a character in its own right, expressed through an eclectic score ranging from electronic soundscapes to contemporary jazz, and embodied through street dance, voguing, hip-hop, circus, and contemporary performance.

True to Holst’s values of community, the production brings together a diverse network of Hong Kong artists: emerging jazz musicians, a community choir, street dance ensembles, and students from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts—choreographed by Leila McMillan. Weaving mythology, folklore, and global cultural narratives, The Planets explores timeless human themes—tension, peace, joy, responsibility, abundance, and transcendence—while inviting performers to shape the work with their own voices and energy. Minimax celebrates Hong Kong’s creative spirit while fostering international collaboration.

Produced by Carmen Cheng and with Technical Direction by Wayne Wong, whose decades of production experience and technical expertise bring Minimax to life, alongside Choreography by CK Wong Sze Ki and Costume Design by Matt Hui, Minimax: The Planets is a boundary-pushing, immersive journey through sound, movement, and spectacle—a celebration of the cosmos, of human creativity, and of the communities that make art possible.

"Minimax is about pushing the boundaries of what live performance can be — creating theatre that is mobile, modular, and alive within the festival grounds," said Jay Hofmann-Forster, Co-Founder & Artistic Director of Clockenflap. "We wanted to transform a transient space into one of connection and wonder, where audiences are not just spectators but participants in the experience. At its heart, Minimax celebrates Hong Kong’s can-do spirit and the incredible talent of our creative community, while opening the door to new collaborations with international artists."

He added:

"Minimax is theatre without walls — a living, moving spectacle that celebrates Hong Kong’s creative spirit."

[END OF PRESS RELEASE]