Nineteenth International Conference on the Arts in Society

Abstract

Hong Kong’s No Limits Arts Festival, a disability-inclusive art platform, features performances, films, dance pieces, and art installations by and about disabled artists. The 2024 edition featured a Spanish-language production called Hamlet by Teatro La Plaza performed by actors with disabilities hailing from Lima, Peru. The devised piece is a fresh and powerful take on Shakespeare’s timeless play, enriched by the unique perspectives of actors with Down Syndrome. The play rejects the common notion that life with disability is inherently tragic. By using the tragic form itself and reinterpreting the role of the chorus in the performance of tragedy, this production refocus the audience’s gaze back upon itself. Drawing loosely from Shakespeare’s original text, Hamlet by Teatro La Plaza delves into the existential question and the role of tragedy in shaping who is or is not marginalized. Historically, disability, both mental and physical, has marginalized many, hiding them away. The actors here give candid performances and share personal stories that challenge audiences to reflect on societal taboos and the question, “How can disabled people exist in a world that excludes them?” In this play, the audience — rather than the performers — becomes the scapegoat at the center of the tragedy. Yet the play never becomes accusatory and instead ends in uplifting fashion in order to unify and commemorate the existence of all, regardless of (dis)ability. By reinterpreting the performance of tragedy, the play posits Down syndrome as a celebration rather than as a sacrifice.