Rooms with a view to music and dance

Since Katherine Lo transformed Eaton HK into a hip hotspot for inclusive cultural exploration around two years ago, the hotel has hosted a regular roster of creative experiments. Through the Looking Glass, staged in a socially-distanced format over two afternoons in April, capitalized on the hotel's advantages.

With 465 guestrooms laid out in a V-shape configuration, approximately half of them face an expansive triangular terrace that acts as an extension of the hotel's bar, Terrible Baby. The setting allowed guests to view shows from the comfort of their rooms, using the television's in-house channel to feed in the act's live or recorded music.

"Through transforming our hotel into an actual theater and repurposing our Terrible Baby terrace into a stage, and our rooms into theater boxes, we are actualizing our goal of being a mixed-use space that benefits the community," said Lo. "We were able to support not only Hong Kong Ballet, one of the city's best-known cultural assets, but those who have craved access to culture for so long."

Through the Looking Glass comprised three mini performances: soloists from Hong Kong New Music Ensemble; Jabberwocky Mirror, an experimental dance conceived by Constantin Leu, choreographed by Sudhee Liao and co-presented by Alice Rensy Productions; and The Orpheus Cabaret by Hong Kong Ballet.

Guests were treated to wine and light snacks for the matinee performance as the in-room television screen counted down to the show's commencement. The ambience captured the feeling of being in a private box at the theatre.

First up was HK New Music's violinist Patrick T.S. Yim, performing in the northwest corner of the terrace. Although the live feed was slightly delayed, the enjoyment of pieces by Bach and Chan Kai-young was enhanced by the comfort and space of a private room.