Asia-Europe Cultural Festival 2026 | Curtain Raiser

The 8th edition of the Asia-Europe Cultural Festival will officially open on 23 April 2026 in Hong Kong, China, with the world premiere of a captivating theatre piece, The Liar – 偽人 — a minimalistic yet immersive performance about the fine line between perception and reality.

The Curtain Raiser programme will be presented in collaboration with the Tai Kwun Arts Centre as part of their annual performing arts programme, SPOTLIGHT, reflecting AECFest’s commitment to nurturing connections with artists and arts and culture institutions across Asia and Europe. 

Acclaimed across the European and American theatre scene, Danish director Tue Biering makes his Asian stage debut with The Liar – 偽人. Joining forces with Hong Kong actor Chan Tai Yin, the two have co-created a long-gestating, solo performance, specially commissioned by Tai Kwun Arts Centre. Media artist Seth Hon deftly creates live visuals, magnifying striking, sensory-impacting images through bold live streaming.

An actor stands on the stage. His name is Tai, he is from Hong Kong, and he begins to tell a story. It is about himself, his life, and his background. He tells of an assault of which he was the victim. Suddenly, he stops. He says that some of what he said was not true. He says that he adjusted parts of it, and he starts again. The work calls attention to how easily one can be seduced by a good story, and examines the anatomy of a liar. It exposes an actor on stage, but simultaneously parallels how media, corporations, and many others practice the same art of seduction – an art that has, at all times, been performed on the world’s stages.

Audiences are warmly invited to step into witnessing the working bench of story-making, as the performer conjures various worlds from minimal props, sound, and even the audience themselves assembling scenes out of a blank canvas for a unique theatrical experience. The Liar will be performed in two languages, with the English version staged from 23-24 April 2026, and the Cantonese version on 25-26 April 2026. 

Purchase your tickets here.

Admission: HKD 280

Discover the full AECFest programme.