Explore more shows and events in Hong Kong > >

Jockey Club East-meets-West Series: 20,000 League | HKAF 2025 Show Introduction

Jules Verne's timeless sci-fi classic brought to life on a magical stage

Dive into a colourful underwater world of spider crabs, jellyfish and a menacing giant octopus

Climb aboard the incredible submarine the Nautilus—part technological marvel, part deep-sea monster—on a voyage of discovery to the deep blue sea! When Professor Pierre Aronnax and harpoonist Ned Land join an expedition to hunt a fierce “whale” that has been sinking ships, they end up as captives of Captain Nemo, who prowls the sea in his magnificent submarine, the Nautilus. With Captain Nemo at the helm, they discover a mysterious, and sometimes dangerous underwater world, a place teeming with spider crabs, lantern-fish, jellyfish, giant octopuses and many other wonderful creatures. 

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is a world classic of fantasy literature by Jules Verne (also the author of Around the World in Eighty Days) and one of the most translated novels in the world. The prestigious theatre company Comédie-Française first staged the show in 2015 as a comedy exploring themes of adventure, humanity and scientific utopia, fusing magical illusionist blacklight theatre puppetry to widespread critical acclaim, earning the Molière Award for Best Visual and Sound Design.

In the world premiere of the Putonghua adaptation commissioned by the 2025 HKAF, the masterminds from France will collaborate with top-notch Chinese theatre artists to create a new rendition of the literary classic.  Keep an eye out for the mythical Chinese sea creatures floating in this deep, dark world!

Co-produced by the Hong Kong Arts Festival, The Central Academy of Drama, China and Compagnie Point Fixe

Show Details

• Jockey Club East-meets-West Series: 20,000 League

• Date & Time:

  • March 20-22, 2025｜19:30
  • March 22-23, 2025｜14:30

• Location: Grand Theatre, Xiqu Centre, WestK

• Address: 88 Austin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Ticketing Details

• Ticket price: HKD 580 / 480 / 380 / 280
• Ticket purchase website: URBTIX

Remarks

• Performed in Putonghua with Chinese and English surtitles
• This production contains scenes of near complete darkness
• Suitable for children aged 6 and above and their families

Creative Team

Original | Jules Verne

Script Adaptation and Directors | Christian Hecq & Valérie Lesort

Set and Costume Designer | Éric Ruf

Lighting Designer | Pascal Laajili

Sound Designer | Dominique Bataille

Conception and Creation of the Puppets | Carole Allemand & Valérie Lesort

Set Designer Assistant | Delphine Sainte-Marie

Costume Designer Assistant | Siegrid Petit-Imbert

Chinese Creative and Production team

Associate Director | Sophie Zha

Chinese Script Adaptation | Tian Xiaowei

Puppet Collaboration | Kain Liu

Performance

Jeff Bao | as Captain Nemo

Ren Shan | as Aronnax

Sheng Lu Yue | as Ned

Zhang Tian Yang | as Conseil

Gu Tian Yu | as Flippos

Wang Yao | as Sauvage

Source of the above information: Hong Kong Art Festival 2025 official website