Theatre director and educator, Founder and Artistic Director of Tang Shu-wing Theatre Studio and former Dean of the School of Drama of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA), Tang is regarded as one of the most influential theatre directors in Hong Kong. Graduated from the Université de la Sorbonne Nouvelle in Paris with a Master’s Degree in Theatre Studies, he received actor training at l‘Ecole de la Belle de Mai. He also travelled to India to experience spiritual development. His multicultural background blends traditional and contemporary elements in his works, including drama, non-verbal theatre, dance theatre and opera. He has produced over 60 of work, including notable plays such as Titus Andronicus, Titus Andronicus 2.0, The Tragedy of Macbeth, Detention, Thunderstorm, King Lear and Bhagavad Gita. “Minimalist aesthetics and the Body” that Tang advocates has become a brand of contemporary theatre in Hong Kong.
In 2014, Tang established “Physical Theatre Youth Training Programme”, an important platform for nurturing the next generation in theatre. In 2019, his Studio was named an “Eminent Arts Group” by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council. His major awards include the Medal of Honour by the Hong Kong SAR Government, the Award for Outstanding Contribution in Arts by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, Honorary Doctorate by the HKAPA, Hong Kong Arts Centre’s Honorary Fellowship, Honorary Fellow of Lingnan University Hong Kong, three times Best Director in the Hong Kong Drama Awards, Director of the Year in IATC (HK) Critics Awards 2021, l’Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication, Excellence Award by the Undercloud Festival of Romania and Arts & Culture Award of the Grand Prix France-Hong Kong 2022.
Tang has authored books such as Analysis and Reflections on the Theories of Acting of Meyerhold, Titus Andronicus — approach in Minimalistic Aesthetic & Physical Theatre and Writing from the Seine: my reflections on theatre. His latest book in English, The Three Levels of ABC: Reflections on Acting and Directing, will be released in November 2023.