Curtain call on Sunbeam Theatre's open day before closure

The Sunbeam Theatre, a cherished performance venue with a legacy spanning over half a century, hosted an open day on Monday prior to its scheduled closure on March 3. 

The event provided the community an opportunity to appreciate the theatre's distinctive allure.

Over a hundred citizens lined up outside the North Point theatre in the morning as the open day started at 10am. Unfortunately, the two guided tours that offered backstage access were quickly filled up, leaving some disappointed.

The 53-year-old theatre, filled with aging projectors and vintage lights, evokes fond memories for visitors.

A visitor, surnamed Lui, expressed her bittersweet feelings while recalling her childhood memories of watching Cantonese opera. She expressed her concern that the city would lose its identity due to the loss of such an iconic venue.

Another regular visitor, Bin, noted that the nearest theatre for Cantonese opera is in West Kowloon, which is inconvenient for the elderly.

Li Kui-ming, the theater's operator, shared his plan to continue searching for new venues to showcase Cantonese opera but anticipated the difficulties ahead. He also urged the government to provide more locations to conserve local cultural heritage.

He emphasized that the closure of Sunbeam Theatre represents a great loss, as the lack of performance venues indicates Cantonese opera is struggling to survive.

Li underscored that the closure of Sunbeam Theatre signifies a great setback, as the dwindling number of performance venues highlights the struggles facing Cantonese opera in its fight for survival.

He encouraged the public to cherish the memories, recognizing that changes are inevitable.

Founded in 1972, the Sunbeam Theatre is set to be transformed into a church after closure.