For Your Diary: What’s On In Hong Kong for September

It’s getting closer to the holiday season, Sassy Girls! But before the snowball of Halloween and everything else begins, September has to happen first and with that comes our cultural roundup. There’s jazz, blasts from the past, art and some Aussie hunks (wink wink!) in this month’s For Your Diary!

Here we go again…
Popular musical Mamma Mia! returns to Hong Kong this month, and it’s already expected to be a huge hit as additional performances have been added into October. It just goes to show how enjoyable and catchy the ABBA musical is. You’ll leave singing all the timeless classics, including Money, Money, Money and Dancing Queen.

That’s not all girls; we’re giving away one pair of tickets to the evening show on 24 September, worth $595. So if you’re ready to hum along to the catchy tunes, click here or on the button below to enter the giveaway.

When: 24 September-26 October
Where: Lyric Theatre, Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, 1 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
How much: Tickets start from $395 and are available from www.hkticketing.com or by calling 3128 8288

Get jazzy with it
Move over Kenny G! Jazz lovers may want to head over to Chai Wan to enjoy the guitar stylings of Israeli musician Oz Noy and his crew of two. His mixture of pop, rock, funk, blues and of course, jazz, will have you searching for his work on Spotify as you languidly laze in the tub sipping on that glass of rosé!

When: 2 September, 8.15pm
Where: Youth Square Y-Theatre, 238 Chai Wan Road, Chai Wan, Hong Kong
How much: Tickets are $380+ and available from Urbtix

Kinky boots
Venus in Fur is a kinky comedy that was a hit on Broadway, and it’s come back to HK for round two this September! Based on the novel by Leopold Sacher-Masoch (yes, his name inspired the term ‘sado-masochism’!), this 90-minute play looks at the themes of domination and the nature of attraction as you’re taken through a hilarious encounter between an actress and a playwright. Expect a fast-paced, racy production that will leave you laughing!

When: 3, 5 & 6 September
Where: Fringe Underground, Fringe Club, 2 Albert Road, Central, Hong Kong
How much: Tickets are $250 for adults, and $200 for members of the Fringe Club, available from www.hkticketing.com or by calling 3128 8288

Mid-season knowledge
It’s nearing that time – mooncake season! But what does it all mean? Check out The Shadow In The Moon: How the Mid-Autumn Festival Began, an original piece of chamber music. Enjoy the sounds of the traditional Chinese instruments, including the erhu, dizi and the guzheng to get a feel for the festival.

When: 7 September, 6pm
Where: Asia Society Hong Kong Center, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Former Explosives Magazine, 9 Justice Drive, Admiralty, Hong Kong
How much: Tickets are $250 for members of the Asia Society and $300 for non-members, available online here or here.

Aussie Magic Mike
Yep, we’re excited that Channing Tatum is bringing us the sequel to Magic Mike soon… but if you can’t hold out, Australia’s Thunder From Down Under is in Hong Kong. The eye candy bring their Las Vegas show to Wan Chai and we’re almost too embarrassed to explain exactly what it is they do… but it’s suitably appropriate for a hen night out! Or if you just fancy ogling up the male form for a night…

When: 8 September, 8.15pm
Where: Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1 Expo Drive, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
How much: Tickets start from $480 and are available from www.hkticketing.com or by calling 3128 8288

Savour the taste
Singapore’s ultimate food festival, Savour, hits Hong Kong to tantalise your taste buds! In conjunction with the Hong Kong Tennis Open, the festival will bring together the best in food and dining to HK’s foodies. It’s a battle of the two Asian tigers as some of the hottest restaurants from both cities will be represented at this food fest.

When: 9-14 September
Where: Victoria Park, 1 Hing Fat Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
How much: Tickets for the Hong Kong Tennis Open start from $220 for a single day ticket and with one, you have entry to Savour. Tickets available here! Or you could pop down on the day and purchase a ticket to Savour for $150 on the door.

Asian-inspired arty goodness
Indonesian artist Putu Sutawijaya presents “The Dance of Remembering”, an art exhibition that showcases his love of… you guessed it, dance! Not many people know that this acclaimed painter, sculptor and performance artist dances while he paints in his studio, and his work is a reflection of that. Check out his exhibition in Hong Kong from next week.

When: 11 September-31 October
Where: Sin Sin Fine Art, 52-54 Sai Street, Central, Hong Kong
How much: Free entry

Fusion musical
Based on a book, the Golden Lotus has been brought to life in musical form. This gripping tale is about mystery, murder, desire and desperation. You’ll surely enjoy the accompanying music, with its fusion of pop-rock and Chinese instrumentation.

When: 12-14 September, 3pm & 8pm
Where: Youth Square Y-Theatre, 238 Chai Wan Road, Chai Wan, Hong Kong
How much: Tickets start from $280 and are available from Urbtix

Introducing the mini
Yes, Hong Kong is a small city, and now that’s been reflected in the art scene! Closer, an exhibition of the first series of miniature paintings in HK, will be on display at PubArt Gallery in collaboration with Arthongkong.net. On tiny canvases no wider than four inches, 10 artists have put their spin on this historical art form, giving it a modern twist.

When: 12-19 September
Where: PubArt Gallery, G/F, 7B, Chancery Lane, Central, Hong Kong
How much: Free entry

Night fever, night fever…
Sassy supports Hong Kong Dog Rescue, and this month, they’re hosting their annual charity fund raising gala dinner, Saturdog Night Fever. To support those cute little pooches, the organisation is aiming to raise $1 million for the gala night. Funds raised through this event and others like it go towards providing food, shelter and veterinary treatment for the 500 dogs now living under the charity’s roof.

When: 13 September, 6pm ‘til late
Where: Aberdeen Marina Club, 8 Shum Wan Road, Aberdeen, Hong Kong
How much: An ordinary sponsorship is $10,000; silver sponsor is $40,000; gold sponsor is $80,000; title sponsor is $250,000. Or you can make a cash donation directly to the organisation here.

Funny honey
American humourist and author David Sedaris joins us in HK as the headliner for the StoryWorthyWeek festival. The funny man will be reciting stories, observations, works-in-progress and readings from some of his pieces. Head over if you’re in the mood for some comedy and giggles.

When: 18 September, 7.30pm
Where: Auditorium, Kowloon Bay International Trade and Exhibition Centre, 1 Trademart Drive, Kowloon Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
How much: Tickets start from $320 and are available from www.hkticketing.com or by calling 3128 8288

For all Potterheads
You heard that right! It’s not the same as watching all the movies or reading all the books (both would take far too long!), but who doesn’t love a condensed version of the J.K. Rowling classics? Potted Potter – The Unauthorised Harry Experience might be for kids… but there’s nothing to be ashamed of if you’re a mega super-duper uber fan! The show hits the stage in Hong Kong this month.

When: 23-28 September, various times
Where: Drama Theatre, Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, 1 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
How much: Tickets start from $395 and are available from www.hkticketing.com or by calling 3128 8288

Classically Chinese
Contemporary Chinese art gets a whole lot better at Eaton Hotel. This hotel art exhibition certainly makes the lobby lounge a whole lot prettier! Check out the strategically-placed paintings, sculptures and photos by some of China’s more famous artists, such as Chen Weiling and Luo Zhen Hong.

When: On indefinitely!
Where: Eaten Hotel, 380 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong
How much: Free to view

Electric-city
Electric pop duo Pet Shop Boys are here to entertain their fans in Hong Kong! Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, who have been playing music for more than 25 years, bring their Electric tour to our fair city in support of their most recent album. We’re hoping for some classics, too…

When: 26 September, 8.15pm
Where: AsiaWorld-Expo, Asia World Summit, Lantau, Hong Kong
How much: Tickets start from $480 and are available from www.hkticketing.com or by calling 3128 8288 

North, South, East, West
The southern part of HK Island is truly stunning, and now there’s a group of art galleries in the district that have gathered together for South Island Art Day, a series of exhibition openings, artist performances, dance and music. Hop on the free shuttle bus from Chater House straight to the area and check out galleries such as Rossi & Rossi, toof [contemporary], and The Cat Street Gallery Annex

When: 27 September, 12-8pm
Where: Southern District. Check out the participating galleries and their locations here.
How much: Free

It’s True…
In the first batch of news letting you know that boy band members are touring solo, Tony Hadley is heading to the ‘Kong. For those of you not in the know, he’s the lead singer of Spandau Ballet! We’re just hoping for hits like True and Gold… who can remember bopping along to these tunes in the car with dad?

When: 28 September, 8pm
Where: Star Hall, Kowloon Bay International Trade and Exhibition Centre, 1 Trademart Drive, Kowloon Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
How much: Tickets start from $480 and are available from www.hkticketing.com or by calling 3128 8288

And oh, my love
If you’re like us, you grew up swooning over Irish boy band Westlife and were equally sad when Brian left and the group generally disbanded. Good news! Lead singer Shane Filan hits Hong Kong as part of his You & Me tour. We’ll be singing along to his pop ballads (while secretly hoping for a rendition of Flying Without Wings!) at AsiaWorld-Expo… see you there, girls!

When: 29 September, 8pm
Where: AsiaWorld-Expo, Asia World Summit, Lantau, Hong Kong
How much: Tickets start from $480 and are available from www.hkticketing.com or by calling 3128 8288

Get stringed
Kotaro Oshio and Jake Shimabukuro will be performing separately at Baptist University as part of The Strings Master Series Concerts. Oshio, a world-renowned finger style guitarist (we hope that’s not as painful as it sounds!), will be showing off his incredible skill on 30 September. It’s one not to miss! And the Hawaiian-born ukulele expert Shimabukuro returns to Hong Kong for the second time to perform on 1 October. See you there!

When: 30 September and 1 October, 8.15pm
Where: AC Hall, Hong Kong Baptist University, 224 Waterloo Road, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
How much: Tickets start from $380 and are available from www.hkticketing.com or by calling 3128 8288

Beachy fun
While we simply adore Hong Kong and its beautiful beaches and open spaces, we’ll be the first ones to admit that it could use a bit of a clean from time to time. Why not grab a bunch of friends (or even the colleagues) for an afternoon of picking up trash on one of HK’s beaches? We’re so lucky to have the best of both worlds – the convenient city life with the country just 20 minutes away. So it’s super important to keep them clean so we can enjoy those Sundays lounging on the sand at Shek O or Big Wave Bay. Check out Hong Kong Cleanup for more information on when and how you can set up your own day out to tidy up Hong Kong’s beaches.

When: Any time!
Where: Any beach in Hong Kong
How much: Check out Hong Kong Cleanup to see where you can help.