Belgian avant-garde theatre group Ontroerend Goed brings its latest creation, Handle with Care, to the upcoming 54th Hong Kong Arts Festival, running from February 27 to March 29, 2026 at the Fringe Club.
Renowned for immersive, psychologically driven theatre, the collective has previously collaborated with HKAF on £¥€$ (LIES) in 2019, followed by The Smile Off Your Face and A Game of You in 2024, with all limited runs selling out quickly.
Handle with Care has been presented in more than 17 countries and translated into over 10 languages, and the production is now making its Hong Kong debut as one of the festival’s most anticipated programmes.
Inside a Theatre Performance Without Actors
Described by its creators as potentially their most “radical” work to date, Handle with Care is a theatre performance without actors or technicians. Instead, it arrives in a box shipped to theatres worldwide.
Once placed on stage, the performance unfolds through instructions, texts, questions, and objects found inside. There is no script, no predefined storyline, and no fixed structure dictating entrances or exits. Each session is shaped entirely by the people present, making every performance unique.
The concept has been likened to a board game, but with a deeper emotional and philosophical purpose. As part of Ontroerend Goed’s trilogy An Hour Spent With Others, the piece explores collective experience and human connection, embracing unpredictability while remaining carefully orchestrated.
How To Participate in This Theatre Experience
At the heart of Handle with Care is the audience itself. Co-creator Samir explains the work as an attempt to create “a valuable experience for someone we will never meet, in a place we will never go”, highlighting its focus on connection across time and space.
Participation is always optional, and those who prefer to observe can remain seated throughout, allowing everyone to discover something unique and meaningful through the process of opening this mysterious box.
Tickets are now available via URBTIX, with limited capacity per session on a first-come, first-served basis.
| Event: | Ontroerend Goed—Handle with Care |
| When: | February 27-March 29, 2026(Approximately 1 hr without interruption. Latecomers will not be admitted) |
| Where: | The Jockey Club Studio Theatre, Fringe Club, Central |
| Tickets: | HK$220. Student discount available. Tickets available now via URBTIX |
| Website: | https://visit.hkaf.org/6kodn5 |
Image credits: Ans Brys, Hong Kong Arts Festival